Well, the only time I was truly tempted to give a bratling a sound thwacking was when I was with my little nephew. And all he was doing was PETTING the family kitty too roughly. But as I was in my brother’s house, I only could speak harshly and put on my best ‘disapproving rabbit’ expression.

i submit that the baby probably doesn’t have teeth. i submit it’s NOT animal abuse for a baby to GUM a kitty’s tail.

….and come on, people! have none of you ever had kittens? have none of you never seen said kittens get themselves in a compromising, uncomfortable or un-catlike position? how many kittens have you seen jumping into walls, falling off the back of chairs, etc.

I don’t think there’s a problem with the baby biting the tail – as pointed out there’s not enough teeth to do damage – but a hard “gumming” combined with bending the tail around like that baby is doing must not be the most pleasant thing for the kitten.

“MommEEEEEEEEE! Kitteh just opened a can of whup-ass on me for biting his tail!”
“Serves you right – you chomp on Kitteh and he flays you dead-baby-crawling – I hope you’ve learned your lesson now.”
[god but I hate children – at least you don’t have to put kittens through college!]

Lighten up on the baby… it is not a brat, a brat, by definition knows what it is doing is wrong, and does it anyway. That baby has no idea that it is causing the cat pain(it will in a minute!). Baby is just thinking, hmmm fuzzy teether.

I guess I’m a horrible mother for having a cat, two kittnes, one young boy, and I’m laughing my everloving arse off right now.

C’mon, folks, no permanent damage was done to either creature. And if the stuff that goes on around my house is any indication, then the chances are very likely that that kitten and that baby are probably bestest buds now. Chillax, y’all!

“Our new people shredder is so easy to use that even a baby can do it! Just have the unwanted person to bite it’s tail to turn him/her into anonymous stripes. (Cross-cut and diamond-cut version also available.)”

this was not cute. Whether or not Snuggums has any teeth isn’t the issue. the cat is in distress(bared teeth…duh). Why is when a baby bites a kitten,it’s cute, but if the kitten were to bite the baby, it would have been taken to the shelter or otherwise given up. Shame on you, Cuteoverload…so not cute!

Kitty could be meowing for all we know. Baby’s mouth might just be touching not biting. I could swipe my kitty’s tail across my mouth without any pain to either of us. Vee know nussink off zees photo vissout beink zere! Chill out kids!

Tink – I hate children in general, but I am prepared to make exceptions. Children who don’t have tantrums in restaurants, cry in movie theatres, or screw around on the escalators in the subway station during rush hour may make it off my list of Planet-Polluting Oxygen-Banditting Skin-Wasters, but only temporarily.
Mac has his own views on them – generally a good source of snacks (don’t ask me why, but he inhales apple-sauce), but the propensity of the little buggers to pull tails and “pat” kitty a little too vigorously means that an supersonic swipe with the Claws Of Doom is never too far away. Tug…WHAP!..Waaaaagh! is a regular soundtrack during these warm summer days as well-meaning but misguided mothers coo things like “Look at da kitty” when they catch sight of His Satanic Majesty prowling in the garden.

I just love kitties, but really, this kitten is not being hurt, a little slobbery, but not hurt. Its amazing what people get worked up about, it’s precious, they will grow up to be the best of friends.

Kitty’s littermates would chomp on it at least as hard during kitten-play, and be scrabbling all their claws into its belly besides. Kitty is PO’ed but not in danger of any lasting harm.

Yeah, babies can bite, and they can start getting teeth as early as 4 months (and this baby is definitely older than that, since it’s sitting up without support). But if babies were prone to serious flesh-rending at that age, nobody would ever breastfeed.

The parents should be ashamed of themselves for allowing their offspring to treat an animal in this manner and then post it on an animal-friendly website. Childhood animal torture is indicative of a personality disorder and a very common trait among serial killers. Cuteoverload should not support animal cruelty- REMOVE THE PHOTO, IT IS OFFENSIVE AND VERY “UNCUTE”.

Can’t help the laughing fit I got at reading “Childhood animal torture is indicative of a personality disorder and a very common trait among serial killers”. That’s the kind of comment you get from someone with just a leeeetle bit of knowledge and a not enough smarts to use it properly.

that is not cute at all! ;_; I feel so terrible for the poor cat! I come to cuteoverload to see adorable animals, not one being abused! I hate this picture so much. Neither the cat nor the baby are cute, and it just makes me feel awful

So does no one agree with me then? That this looks like it was part of a professional photoshoot gone a bit awry?

Who on earth plops their baby down, in the grass, wearing just a diaper, with a young kitten in its lap that has no collar on?

I really don’t think this is a case of “bad parenting” (beyond the fact that I don’t get why anyone would sell out their kid like this.)

The only way someone could POSSIBLY get this picture is if they were sitting there taking continuous shots of the baby and kitten. I don’t think this was a case of, “Darling, quick, get the camera. Junior has Scawy’s tail in his mouth again!”

Man, some of you really need to chill out. Babies putting things in their mouths does NOT mean they will be serial killers. Not even slightly.

The cat will scratch the baby, the baby will cry, the cat will be OK, the baby will learn not to chomp on the cat. It IS cute, because the baby is blissfully unaware of what’s going to happen to it in about one second’s time.

Not cute. Not funny. I just received 3 e-mails from friends telling me I should check out this photo because it is so sickening, and I agree. I just filed complaints with the American Humane Society, the ASPCA, PETA, and PAWS. I will not rest until this photo is removed from your alleged animal lover site.

Whether or not the baby is biting the cat it is obviously scared and in pain. The baby is pulling its tail hard wnough that its back feet are off the ground! The kitten is obviosuly scared and most likely in pain. I agree with the serial killer statement- freak parents!

I don’t think its a particularly cute picture, and I find babies to be generally unappealing unless I know their parents personally, but the “potential serial killer in the making” remarks are totally ridiculous …

It’s not about the biting of the tail; kid probably has no teeth. But check out the angle of the tail in relation to the cat. The tail is getting PULLED to the kid’s mouth, which is probably why kitty is baring all fangs.

Wow, some of you guys are TOTALLY over-reacting and most of the rest are going with the trendy view to find this photo ‘cruel’.
truth is this kitty CAN’T be in pain because babies are weak and have no teeth! It’s more just pissed about it. If you’ve had a cat you’ll know they hiss and pull faces like that over a LOT of things they dislike! My girlofriends cat does that to the vaccuum cleaner and when she sees my dog…it doesn’t mean she’s in pain…just a bit pissed XD

And calling the kid a psycho is just HILARIOUS! Leave your pop psychology out of this!
The baby is too young to know what it’s doing and considers the cat like one of it’s teddies. Some of you guys are plain out-right IDIOTS!

Besides, what could PETA (who are a bunch of idiots…and I say that proudly as a vegan) and ther ASPCA even DO? It’d be hard enough to track down these people and even if the DID you couldn’t prosecute a baby! They’d probably laugh and be ‘ouch…poor kitty’ and that’d be it.

Tink – feel free to stop by and meet Him. The best approach is to walk slowly and calmly in his direction, avoiding eye contact, hands where he can see them, and carry live mice, catnip or apple sauce. Make soothing noises, and remember – he can smell your fear ;)

I was very disappointed to see this picture on cuteoverload. Mainly because I have seen it before and everytime it turns up, people get their panties in a twist. Come on, people. Untwist.

Meanwhile, I suspect that neither baby nor kitten were hurt in the making of this photo. If it hurt it that bad to have its tail pulled/chomped that kid would already be sporting some claw marks. Who are you trying to kid?

The people taking themselves way too seriously above should not detract from the fact that this is a picture of an ugly baby with an ugly, hard-to-see kitten. It is just not a good picture, sorry kids. Whether the cat is getting hurt or not, this is supposed to be CUTEoverload, isn’t it?

While that cat is probably pissed and not hurt, it could still get hurt from a baby yanking on its tail, and it IS being used as a plaything. Whoever took taht picture needs a kick in the head, babies and animals can easily hurt each other, and are not a good combination.

This photo’s been making the rounds for years, and I have to agree it’s not funny or cute. It would be if the cat’s expression were not so distressed. Baby’s teeth status notwithstanding, yanking on a cat’s tail can cause spinal injuries. Agree with Kei and others that parents are to blame and need to keep baby and pets apart until baby reaches the age of reason. Which is much later in some people than others.

That kitty can look after itself. It did, most likely, after this picture was snapped.
Babies do that kind of stuff to cats, they don’t know any better. Cats scratch and escape. Life runs along as normal. I don’t think the problem is solved by the parents minimizing baby contact with animals, either.

Oh my God, people. I’m sorry, these comments have gotten too out of control NOT to post.
Here are my thoughts:

1)Calling babies ugly is just as cruel as some of you think this picture is.

2)Baby hardly has any of Kitty’s tail in his mouth…you can see probably 95% of the tail.

3)Kitty’s hind legs are not being pulled off the ground…one of them, in fact, is resting on Baby’s leg.

4)Behavior such as cruelty to animals, while sometimes an early indicator of personality disorders, IS NOT demonstrated as an infant. Children who exhibit this symptom take pleasure from hurting or killing animals…therefore, they have to KNOW what they are doing hurts the animal.

5) NOTHING in this picture is “cruel”. This is one instant in a series of events which happen every day all over the world. Kid plays with cat, cat does not enjoy, cat swats kid, kid learns not to pester the cat.

I loathe people who mistreat animals as much as the next person does, but COME ON! Get over yourselves, people.

I have a story from my childhood days (maybe 5 years old?). When I was little, I was chasing this black cat in my parents’ friend house. I think I got too close to the cat and the catch scratched my face. I cried. :(

Yes, I sort of remember it after all these years (I am 30 now). And no,that’s not me in that photograph (not that young when the incident happened).

Being a mommie of a six month old and having two cats myself, I will say–that baby may have teeth. Even if he doesn’t, gumming can STILL hurt. Mommy and Daddy need to intervene here and help that kitten.

Given though, the baby is NOT a brat. He doesn’t have a clue what he is doing. And even if he gets scratched, he’s not going to understand why he was scratched, just that he doesn’t like it.

I say Poor Baby because he’s going to lose a great little pal in that kitten. And poor kitten for getting his tail bit.

But you never know,tomorrow they may have completely forgotten the whole incident!

Are you people all so blindingly STUPID that you can’t see the cat has been Photoshopped into the picutre? I’ve seen this picture a million times – it’s not real. Look at the shadow underneath the cat – it’s a filter called DROP SHADOW. A very popular and effective one used by anyone who has ever even touched Photoshop.

Sorry Diane, I’ve been busy reading utterly silly comments by people who seems to be upset by some picture showing a cute kitten having his tail nibbled by a toddler. (meanwhile: drive by-shootings , starvation and a couple of wars)
Now: YES, I so agree! I can virtually hear the director yelling “cut, cut CUT! Somebody get that cat out from there, and get me another baby! Yeah, one that doesn’t bleed. CRIST!” at the top of his voice! :D

The baby is cute…
The kitten is cute…
Its going to be sadistically cute when the kitten rips the shit out of the baby….
Its going to be down right funny and cute in an irony sort of way when the kid grows up to rip the hell out its parents (because realize it or not we all did)…
And the cutest part of ALL is the fact that if everyone here went back and talked to their parents something they did in the past could be seen by todays standards just as “horrible” “uncute” “sadistic” (please continue with the degrading comments ad nauseum..) when they were a child and now they stand here preaching… Hell people… how many of us rode around in cars without car seats… (NO!!!!) or played outside in the dirt with no antibacterial soap to scrub with afterwards (NOOOO!!!!!) Apparently some of you need to go burn your parents at the stake for their BLATENT abuse and horrible treatment of us…. standards change…cope and not everyone on the planet is going to agree with you its called variety…

What’s really cute is the way fate has a way of biting one in the ass such will be the case with the kid, kitten and parents in some random order … Now if that isn’t funny I don’t know what is…

Well I didn’t see this coming by a mile! I have noticed that quite a few animal lovers are baby haters (although I don’t really understand why), but sure didn’t see the animal abuse/baby-is-a-psychopath thing coming. Yeesh!

And “Not cute. Not funny. I just received 3 e-mails from friends telling me I should check out this photo because it is so sickening, and I agree. I just filed complaints with the American Humane Society, the ASPCA, PETA, and PAWS. I will not rest until this photo is removed from your alleged animal lover site.” just killed me! This person’s yahoo profile gives her favorite quote as “Seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow”

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahaha!!

But in seriousness, I would have stopped the baby at that instead of taking a photo as well, but animal abuse? C’mon, get a grip. I suppose you think I emotionally abuse my wabbit when I fall down laughing every time he mis-times his race down the hallway and skitters into the wall!

Cute, definitely cute. Look people, we were all babies once and did stupid things, and, perhaps, learned not to do those stupid things again. the parents aren’t at fault, the baby is not at fault, and the kitten will survive this as it has no doubt survived other painful consequences of its own 9lives cat curiousities.
cute!

LOL @ M Dash – you should hear the conversations when we get together as a family – “you let us: ride bikes without helmets; fall off said bikes into the gravel and rip all the skin from our legs, and you put TCP on it and didn’t take us to the Emergency Room for a tetanus shot; climb trees without appropriate safety equipment; go up and down stairs without putting gates on them; play around the kitchen while you were cooking without taking adequate precautions to protect us from hot stoves; drink hard cider (because beer was clearly bad for us), on the grounds that it was no worse than apple juice (right?); wear pixie boots that were so pointed that our feet were in danger of being permanently deformed; wear t-shirts that bore slogans like “Frankie says ‘War’ – Go F**k yourself” without warning us how stupid they would make us look” etc etc etc.
To which the response is invariably: “Did you survive? Are you still alive to complain? Did you reach adulthood without getting maimed, disfigured, or killed? In which case, whatever terrible things we did as parents can’t have been that bad, now can they?” We rib our parents about the “terrible” things they did to us when we were kids as a way of remembering what happy childhoods we had – chalk it up to being English, and therefore unable to express appreciation easily ;)

There’s obviously something wrong with that cat if it’s looking that terrified.

My biggest problem is that probably yes, the cat will retaliate. And then I wouldn’t be surprised–because it happens all the time when a kid harasses an animal and the animal defends itself–if the parents freak out about that “vicious” kitten, little Junior was just playing with it, now we gotta get rid of it.

Kittens are a lot faster, a lot tougher, a lot smarter than babies. This whole “animal in pain” thing is wacky. Has no one ever snapped a photo of a cat yawning or meowing? It looks downright demonic. And yet, we have people here who are taking a millisecond of time and deciding that the animal is being mercilessly tortured by an unattractive baby that is an aspiring serial killer with lousy parents. Cripes, you people really need to focus your disgust in matters of more import. You do realized that there’s a war on and there are Iraqi animals (and an occasional innocent human) being killed for not good reason. Right? You are the reason that PETA has the ridiculous reputation that it does. Your knee-jerk ire is actually hurting the animal rights cause. Quit crying wolf and save it for the puppy mills.

Regardless of whether or not the kitten was hurt, this is not a cute photo. Even if this picture isn’t real, that is not a happy animal. I’d rather not see pictures like this in the future, and hope you will take this picture down- it clearly has upset a number of visitors.

*l* Thank you TJ, THATS what I was talking about… every vegitarian I know ate some form of animal as a kid (don’t try and deny it if you live in the United States of “McDonald’s added beef fat to their fries?!” America), every saftey fanatic parent was once in a car without a child seat as a kid (didn’t become common until the mid 1970’s) and EVERY child has inadvertantly done some wrong to an animal… and guess what we lived, we survived and we are no more screwed up than prior generation (save maybe the whine-fest factor) Yesh… I was raised with the following mantra… Are you bleeding? Do you have a fever? Is it (whatever body part) broken?… No… then suck it up buttercup and go (to school, do your chores, etc.) *g*

1. The people calling the baby ugly are idiots, and nothing will ever convince me otherwise.

2. I do hope the comment about “this is how serial killers start” was made in sarcasm, because that’s just incredibly dumb. At that age, babies can’t form intent or process cause/effect patterns. My nephew is about the same age, and he’s constantly gumming on the family dog (who turns around and gives him a new doggy-tongue hairstyle, so there’s an even trade in saliva between the two). Every time, he makes an “ew!” face, and then he does exactly the same thing two seconds later. In other words, even if the baby does get clawed, chances are he’ll keep trying to chomp on the cat, as that’s how babies get most of their significant sensory input anyway.

3. I swear the site maintainers like it when the whole place explodes in wankery. I saw this picture, and I knew the CF “Ew, icky baybee!” set would be out in force.

4. The kitten does look terribly uncomfortable, and there’s a good chance the baby will end up scratched, and cat scratches=the nasty. This is a bad, bad idea for all concerned.

Well, I have to side with others that this photo isn’t cute. What we see implies that the cat is in pain — we don’t know from this one photo if that’s true or not, but the photo is *obviously* implying pain. The photo is of a baby gnawing & twisting a cat’s tail and making it mad. It’s ridiculous to claim otherwise. I’m not sure why the site would decide to post a photo where a cat was shown in pain, fictitious or not.

And I don’t believe it’s a professional photo shoot. The baby is lit poorly and the photo is grainy, and the cat is so dark you can hardly even make it out.

OK. I like babies (have none, but been around them a lot). Like cats (have three, am around them all the time), and I feel sorry for both of these little ones. The kitten OBVIOUSLY doesn’t like having his tail bent back (I’m thinking it feels like hyperextending a limb for us humans). Sure, he’ll get away fast, but the babe might get scratched in the meantime. Which will not be fun for him. I think that we should smite the parents, for putting two babies in a situation that could certainly have no pleasant outcome, just for a photo op.

Kittens are cute. Babies are cute. But the combination is sometimes not so cute at all.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but if a bug walks by my cat, the cat turns into Halloween kitty extraordinaire, complete with arched back, hissing, and (if he still had them) claws at the ready. Heck, if air blows his fur the wrong way, he does it.

Yes, this is cruel. No, it’s not the baby’s fault. It’s the fault of whatever fool was taking this picture instead of quickly grabbing the cat away. The baby’s gums might not hurt, but yanking the cat up like that by its tail clearly makes it uncomfortable, as you can see in the picture. No doubt if the cat scratches the kid, it’s going to get punished somehow. This is just showcasing human stupidity and is not cute in any way.

Wow. There is so much baby hating here! What gives? Love animals but hate innocent babies? Some people have their priorities mixed up!

I am sure the cat wasn’t hurt as the baby most likely has no teeth. The cat could be yawning for all we know! I am more concerned about the kid getting scratched and putting a dirty cat in its mouth. Plus, I agree that parts of the picture look photoshopped, like the grass around the babies head.

But come on people! Don’t be babie haters and stop dissing Cuteoverload! Also, please do not involve PETA—now those people creep me out more than tail chomping babies.

Looks like a ‘shopjob to me. The way the kitten is twisted around and doesn’t have its feet planted firmly on the ground kind of gives it away.

The hissing expression on kitty’s face just makes it look even more unnatural. It seems to me that if the cat really was hissing at the kid, it would hiss at the kid’s face, not at his thigh with face turned towards the camera!

Anyway, even in the unlikely event it *is* real…the very tip of the kitty’s tail is barely touching the baby’s lips! Don’t tell me you cat owners have never kissed your kitties’ tails — I sure have! (Plus I see my adult cats chew each others’ EARS with a lot more abandon than that, as often as lunch!)

This is the only place I ever post to, so here comes my 2 cents. Babies are people, and kittens are animals. We have began as babies (how do you feel being called ugly by the baby-haters?). None of us have ever been baby animals. People have no right to harm animals, but to say you hate babies and love baby animals strikes me as a little odd. Infants should Not be allowed to interact with the family pet, period.

Lesseee,
–No, I don’t think its photoshopped.
I think the parents dropped the kitty into the kid’s lap to get a picture.
Probably not a professional, for just the picture quality problems some people have pointed out
–It’s all aself-correcting problem, the kitten will be out of there in about half a second.
–Poor kid just wants something to bite. Much too young for anyone to be thinking this is a mean kid, or a future psychopath.
(My kid teethed on me endlessly, and she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.)
–I don’t think kitty is happy, but I don’t think there’s any permanent harm done.
I think it’s a sort-of cute picture.
Not really my thing, but really not PETA, PAWS, Humane Society, etc. territory, though.
Jeeze.
There are enough real problems out there, real animal abuse cases, to deal with to keep anyone busy for years.
If you’ve got that much indignation and energy, go apply it where it’s needed.
This is just a silly picture.

So, why exactly is an ugly baby abusing a kitten cute, exactly? And of course, if the kitty were to defend itself, it’d be sent quickly to be put down because it’s ‘vicious’. *eyeroll* You’ve failed me, Cute Overload.

Arvay- I can speak for myself as an animal-lover and baby-hater when I say that I love animals because I hate babies and hate babies because I love animals. Animals smell better, cost less, make less noise, behave better, are cuter, easier to feed, easier to toilet-train, are better company, are less annoying and have nice soft fur. Babies are the opposite of all these things. Plus babies grow up to be people, and frequently people make stupid comments on cuteoverload.

However, my baby-hating does not really factor into how I feel about this picture.

It’s really sad that people are so wierd on the internet that you can’t tell if someone is being serious or sarcastic. I apply this experience to over half of these comments. Don’t take yourself too seriously; someone might notice >.>

Wow, a lot of comments, why is everyone so worked up? This is the way I learned how to be respectful to cats. I worked in a pet hospital where a little boy came in and went up to a cat (he’d never interacted with one before, apparently) and pulled it’s tail, and it scratched his arm. We cleaned him up good and even his mom said, “well, lesson learned.” Actually, in this cat’s case, on BOTH sides–stay away from baby!

That said, this would be more amusing on Cuteoverlord, for those of us who indeed find humor in disturbing images. And in some respects, this is kinda funny. The camera just happened to get the cat in a nasty-looking moment. Kittens were designed to be a bit pliable, just like babies, I seriously doubt anything really bad happened here.

I could mention too that I’m a vegan, and a longstanding member of PETA, but IMHO this just doesn’t rank up there with animal testing or factory farming. Now if it were a five-year old doing it with a look of pure evil, I’d be pretty pissed.

-sniggers at PETA- I’m a vegan…and they give people like me a bad name!
Animal testing? Uhm…what pray tell do we do instead? Test of humans and kill them or completely halt medical science and let millions die each year?!

My family was living the country, building a house, living in a trailer. We had a semi-feral cat we called “Miss Kitty” (oh-so original, I know), who barely tolerated us. She would, though, from time to time, slither up to one of us, asking for– NAY, DEMANDING– attention and affection, which we gladly provided.

As soon as she was petted and stroked to her satisfaction, however, she would turn upon her “provider,” hissing and sometimes lashing out, claws bared.

God forbid we think she might actually LIKE us or anything.

NOW… this self-same cat, snarly creature that she was, happened to be around when a toddler and her family were visiting. This barely-walking child gleefully grabbed Miss Kitty BY THE NECK and toddled around with her. I lunged forward in an attempt to thwart what I was SURE would be a lethal attack, but it proved unnecessary– Miss Kitty was putty in the baby’s hands, floppy and purring and passive as all get-out.

Go figure, is all I have to say.

Of course, as soon as a GROWNUP tried to separate the pair, Miss Kitty was her usual hateful self and tried to take a chunk out of said adult… NOT the drooling toddler.

Not sure that this makes any difference to the hysterical posters in this thread, but I thought perhaps some real-life perspective couldn’t hurt.

I know it has been said over and over that the majority of poster on this thread really need to lighten up, but it bears repeating. What compells me to comment is the absolutely *sickening* number of people saying things like you hope the baby gets torn up by the ZOMG, cute kitten. I love animals, and I love children. There are people out there who would beat their dog and never lay a finger on a kid, just like there are people our there who would beat their children and never lay a finger on their dog. Both are fine examples of moral asshatery, much like has been so wonderfully demonstrated here.

If anyone deserves the constant ripping, it is the parents/photographer! Making cruel statements about an *infant!!* without the cognitive abilities to realize what it is doing is downright absurd, and very worrying, as well. Save your ire for the stupid parents, and spare the baby, who is completely innocent.

Percieving malice in the actions of individuals who don’t even have fully developed brains is just absurd! And I hope to God none of you overzealous whiners ever have children.

Save your enthusiasm for *real* cases of absuse, there are plenty that actually exist, without the need to create ones that don’t!

holy cow bells, batman!
people! chill!
it’s a baby, doing what comes naturally..putting things in their mouths! i’m willing to bet that in each and everyone of us has a picture of us doing something weird chompage like this little tyke.
take a deep breath, step back, look at the pic again. this scene probably lasted all of two seconds, with neither party getting hurt. baby got a mouth full of fur, kitty ran like the dickens. that’s it. there’s no point assuming anything else happened here.

(and to gizmo, who called in the humaine society and peta…you really need to chill out, man.)

This picture isn’t cute. It’s not even funny. That animal is in serious distress and I’ve half a mind to contact the SPCA if this isn’t removed from CuteOverload. As a site that was once primarily for cute animals, it’s bad enough people have overrun it with their boring baby pictures. But this? It’s cruelty. And whoever took this picture instead of helping the distressed cat and teaching their child how to respect pets deserves a punch in the face. Way to go.

Alice, you’re an idiot. There are more personality disorders than just multiple- like antisocial, hystrionic, schizoid, schizophrenic, etc. I can’t believe this picture hasn’t been removed yet. way to go customer appreciation! We voted for you on the Webby Awards, jerks, now do something for us!

so much for freedom of expression, eh, doc?
are you so innocent that you yourself have never done anything bad…ever?
it’s not like like the kid’s dropping the cat off the cliff or something, i don’t even think this child is walking yet, therefor has NO FREAKING CLUE what he’s doing.

ok. i have to stop reading this tread. it’s just cheesing me off that people are putting soooo much energy over a photo, yet there are many animals who are really in danger.

before you judge this photo and go and call the humaine society…perhaps you should go volunteer at a pet shelter and see what REAL victims look like.

(and there’s no need for name calling, for pete’s sake. we’re all grown-ups here)

The kitty has seen a lot worse… has anyone who is complaining about this EVER SEEN how little kitties play with each other????
My point exactly.
Of course I do have to say that the position of the kitty looks uncomfortable as we can see face and rear at the same time.
If baby hurt kitty, kitty already took care of it. There is no logical reason to assume otherwise, so get off of your PETA bandwagons, take a deep breath and look at the OTHER cute pictures!

svo, as a shapely, smoking-hot, PROUD feminist, I’ll take up the cause of the so-called “haters” here (tho’ what you mean by that is far from clear, and I’m not of the crowd anxious to call the SPCA based on this one innocent pic), and challenge you to a duel of wits… although it’s cruel of me to take on an unarmed opponent.

Wow. While I feel this photo is not at all cute, I dont really think that the ugly baby biting an otherwise cute kitten, forcing it to make an ugly face, constitutes animal abuse. I do think the parents are idiots for actually taking the picture rather than trying to teach the baby not to @%#* with kitty before the kitty has a chance to teach him with claws

I’m with you, kariboo. Anyone who wants to call this abuse should go to a shelter. I volunteer at a shelter in the ‘burbs, and anyone who has spent a lot of time at a shelter has seen enough animals that were truly abused (set on fire, skulls fractured by baseball bats, etc.). “Abuse” implies intent, and if someone sees a wicked gleam in baby’s eye, you’re a better observer than I am. If this were an older cat who was used to being around kids and was calmly letting baby gum its tail, would people be claiming abuse? Kittens do this much and worse to each other regularly, so kitty’s momentary annoyance is nothing it hasn’t experienced with its litter.

Do any of you self-righteous negative posters really think that your comments are actually going to DO anything, or CHANGE anthing?????? UNBELIEVABLE that THIS picture flipped so many of you out (and we’re even sitting here calling each other NAMES now??? How old are we???) — but NOT to the point where you’re getting up off of your butts and going out into the world where you CAN actually DO SOMETHING and MAKE A CHANGE in this screwed up world — No, instead, you’re still sitting here typing away like a lunatic (almost 300 posts???? puhlease….) on SOMEONE ELSE’S BLOG where you really have NO SAY in what pictures get posted or not posted. So ok — you’ve voiced your opinion — now go DO something about it instead of just vacuously yakking about it.

I will say that baby’s parents need to understand that kitty may treat baby like a member of the litter–pounce, scratch, bite. But then, they do this even if baby isn’t gumming various body parts. This is one reason that we try to politely suggest to parents of young children that an eight-week-old kitten might not be the best idea.

When my baby is born I will have a litter of baby cats play with him. This will include tail-biting in all it’s glory. And the baby kittens will love it, after all they just wanna bite, play, and explore just like my little baby bun.

When my baby is born I will have a litter of baby cats play with him. This will include tail-biting in all it’s glory. And the baby kittens will love it, after all they just wanna bite, play, and explore just like my little baby bun.

how this picture is offensive is beyond me. i never heard of anything being gummed to death. and if you ever looked at a cat’s tail, the actual tip of the tail is at least half an inch away from where the fur stops.
no harm, no foul.

those who are offended by this suffered from a rare form of idiocy. and for those who hate babies, you have no soul.

WOW..after yesterday I would have thought all this would have died down..I can’t believe this pic caused all this bullsh**. It’s a kitty and a baby. Does anyone realize there are WAY more important things going on in this world to bitch about? We are at war, children are starving all over the world, the homeless…I could go on and on. Instead of worrying about this kitty why don’t all of you focus your efforts on something that really matters. Just my thoughts people..now where is my Cat I feel like biting its tail!

I couldn’t agree more, nico, and I would defend you position re: “cute is cute”… EXCEPT for the fact that your pal, svo, tossed out the snotty “fat, unattractive feminists” salvo to start with (please excuse the preposition at the end of that sentence).

Assholier-than-thou behavior (or commentary) WILL get a response, no question. And I can’t help but think that’s what your pal was looking for in the first place, nay?

E, thank you for attempting to explain, but I’m sorry to say that I’m still as mystified.

“I can speak for myself as an animal-lover and baby-hater when I say that I love animals because I hate babies and hate babies because I love animals. Animals smell better, cost less, make less noise, behave better, are cuter, easier to feed, easier to toilet-train, are better company, are less annoying and have nice soft fur”

Well, I like apples better than kumquats. Apples smell better, cost less, are sweet and not bitter, are easier to grow in my climate, and are more versatile to cook and bake with. Does this mean that in order to love apples, I have to hate kumquats? Eh?

I would be okay with “I love animals, and I happen to hate babies” or “I hate babies, and I happen to love animals,” but your choice of the word “because” is a huge stretch…

as someone else said, it’s a strange coincidence when so many of you animal lovers seem to HATE babies. i wonder what it implies?

as for the picture itself, it’s not the cutest picture on here, but the baby and the kitty are both adorable. those with baby experience know that babies always stick things in thier mouth, not necessarily to bite (as they do with thier own hands). its just thier way of “seeing the world.”

calling this animal abuse is silly btw. if this was, then the things i do with my dog are deserving of jail time. (we like to play, and while we both have gotten injured before, nothing serious and ill-meaning).

in the end though, the picture looks photoshopped anyway… happy wednesday!

Oh, for land’s sake. That kid? No teeth. That kitten? Protesting having its tail help in the kid’s hands, not because the child just toook some kind of huge chomp out of it! Animals and kids have to learn to interact with each other; if the kid gets scartached, they learn to play nice. If kitty gets bit, it learns to leave the baby alone. There!

All of you wishing bad things on this baby (parent’s fault, not baby’s) are really nasty and mean people. Who wishes bad things on a BABY??? Wish bad things on the parents if you want, but not on the baby.

I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me. And when people started fighting in the aisles I slipped out to get a refill on my popcorn. I thought when Meg’s cat-travelogue post un-posted it was just a sign for me to come back from the lobby and see more fightin’. Don’t tell me it’s over?! OH, and Theo was robbed. That 300 post should been his….

the people who are getting worked up have obviously neither owned a kitten or a baby or had them in the same household.

it’s just a baby being a baby and a kitten being a kitten. my cat leo and i played in this fashion all the time when i was an infant, and neither of us was ever hurt. in fact, i think it contributed to how strongly he bonded to me, sleeping in my crib/bed with me every night till he died.

once again, like the dog picture, the owner of the baby and the cat knows the temperaments of both and photographed them in a supervised situation.

Ok, so most days I just look at the cute pictures and go about my day. But, when I see three hundred posts, I tend to read some of them over to see what all the fuss is about. I can’t believe I just wasted thirty minutes reading a bazillion posts about how people are morally outraged by some silly picture involving an infant gumming a kitten. I can’t believe I got computer eyes (which happens when you stare at a computer screen too long and your eyes don’t seem to want to blink anymore)over this! I’m going back to bed. Thank you, half-wits, for ruining my morning. (For all of you out there who don’t understand sarcasm, that was it.) Now to go watch SpongeBob.

Kris, it’s really very pointless to hate babies. You were a baby once; they are almost a symbol of innocence. And you probably ate a worm too. We all killed living animals, so are we going to become serial killers?

meg! please put something…anything else..up!
newly annoyed folks are coming out of the woodwork making me want to see what else anti-gummers have to say!
i know i said i was done posting on this thread, but it’s like a train wreck! i just can’t look away!!!! LOL.

Seriously? 300+ comments on this? I have two cats I’ve raised from the time they were 6 weeks old, and I can’t tell you how many kitten pics I took of them meowing and yawning that look just like this. The hullabaloo surrounding this pic is laughable.

To those of you such as: Amanda, Gizmo, cpegasus, Mnemosyne, Connie, Blue, Kira, Faylette, I’m right there with you!! This is exactly why people like DLT, aaaa…aaaa…aaa, ShellBell, and DenitatwoDragons should not even be looking at this site. They are obviously not animal lovers, they have no idea the horrible things that our aweful species does to animals. People are the most violent and disgusting things on this planet, we don’t treat eachother or animals right, and this picture proves it.

To those of you such as: Amanda, Gizmo, cpegasus, Mnemosyne, Connie, Blue, Kira, Faylette, I’m right there with you!! This is exactly why people like DLT, aaaa…aaaa…aaa, ShellBell, and DenitatwoDragons should not even be looking at this site. They are obviously not animal lovers, they have no idea the horrible things that our aweful species does to animals. People are the most violent and disgusting things on this planet, we don’t treat eachother or animals right, and this picture proves it.

I know most of you are starting to brush this post off, but this has really sparked an interesting controversy. I can’t fathom that there are people in the world like animal_mommy. I just can’t. This pic to me, to my eyes represents innocence. And it makes me smile. Everyone has different perceptions I guess. But the perception to wish harm to the baby and call it animal abuse sounds wacky. It sounds ridiculous and these people come off as mean, nasty, and confused individuals. **** you.

This kid does not represent the evil humans present towards animals. He is an infant child bonding with a baby kitty. It is a glorious event and one that should have been documented further. I will be registering http://www.babyvskitty.com and shooting video of this precious bonding experience.

peach pie, yum! not quite sure what “a crumbly topping” on a pie is, though. ’round these parts we have cobblers, which are fruit filling with a crumbly topping (no crust). they are served warm straight out the oven, often with vanilla ice-cream. and peach is the king (queen?) of all cobblers.

hey everybody..did you see the bear? just look at the bear…no kids, no pissed off kitties, just a happy bear with a squeek hippo. let’s bask in the happiness of the bear and leave the gummer/gummie at peace, k?

I am a fat unattractive feminist and I LOVE babies and kittens. In fact, I volunteer as a foster mom at a local cat rescue. People who find babies repulsive have a screw loose. People are animals too! Just ask any biologist. This is a picture of two baby animals romping together and it is definitely CUTE. All you baby-haters, please crawl back into your lairs. People who hate humans and love all other animals are CREEPY.

hey! me too! what a coincidence, eh?! we should go have a drink. somebody (?ariel?) suggested in another thread to have “bunny cream”. sounds delish, settles the nerves, and JUST the thing to have alongside pie.

After the baby nibbled on baby kittys tail, they went inside for a cookie. “COOKIE!” They both screamed and laughed as their mothers handed them a mini shortbread cookie. They were filled with joy and hugged each other.

” People are the most violent and disgusting things on this planet”… maybe as a whole but before condeming every human on the planet I ask all those who hate humans so much the following. Exactly which animal is going to be caring for you when you can’t do so for yourself? Which furry little love bug is going to be handling your IV when you are ill? What form of the great animal kingdom will be filling your perscription when you need those handy dandy pills that allow you to age and care for your beloved pets? When a monkey wipes your wrinkled butt, a cute and fluffy lion puts you in that wheelchair or a puppy makes sure you get that pain med you so desperately need, then you can hate humans all you want and sing the praises of the animal kingdom with your dying breath. Like it or not though the people/babies we hate today will be the ones taking care of you (yeah even if they aren’t YOUR kids) one day in the nursing home, hospital when your sick, etc. So stand on your soap box now while you can and remember people ARE animals too. I can love animals (all species) and still have the foresight to realize fluffy won’t be the one wiping my ass as I age… be careful how much disdain for the human race takes root in the heart. Unless you plan on walking out into the woods and killing yourself humans will be the last thing you see before you die… and for the die hards who say they would wander into the woods… I’m sure Mr. Puppy, Captain Kitten and all the rest of your friends will enjoy the free meal…. *g*

It’s “funny” because earlier on, I was going to say ” F*** IT … who wants some pie???” And then marisser comes up with the same topic… &:o)
So I must say, (humbly…ahem…) I make the absolute *BEST* cherry pie in the entire universe!!! It has a lattice top, with a citrus/sugar drizzle topping, and the cherries are both tart AND sweet and it’s thick as all get out…It ROCKS served warm with vanilla ice cream!!!

Samoas or Caramel deLites: These consist of a circular vanilla cookie about 2inch in diameter with a small hole in the center, covered in caramel and toasted coconut and then striped with chocolate. This is one of the only cookies in the group that has differences depending on the bakery. The reason there are two names is because while similar, the cookies have some differences. Samoas are made by Little Brownie Bakers. They are circular, with an orange color and are thicker from top to bottom; usually they also contain more caramel per coconut. The Caramel deLites, made by ABC Bakers, are actually hexagonal, with a more yellowish tinge, and more of the cookie comes through in the flavor because of the lower caramel content. Overall they are both very popular, and most people never notice the differences. Both varieties come in purple boxes.

That poor kitten. Someone needs to keep that baby away from animals until it learns to treat them with respect. Although given that presumably it was the parent who took the photo, that doesn’t seem likely.

Why does everyone have to like babies? Why do we have to put up with your crying, pooping, ugly little disease wherever we go, just because YOU decided that the world bows to you so much you needed to grace us with another miniature you? Babies yowling at the library, movie, or other quiet places (like coffee houses) irritate me. Babies hurting little animals and parents going “awwhh iz so cuteee” peeve me off. I wish I could slap you people every time you impose them on us. Thanks…OH SO MUCH, for forcing me to be around your “little angel”. I am a female. I am NOT fat. I maintain a successful career (you know, the one you can’t have because you have soccer practice, and vaccinations to worry about) . People who have kids on the other hand: Often grotesquely fat, Often up to their elbows in debt, often “white trash” living in trailer parks with their 8 kids, taking these sorts of pictures. I’ll take my Italian designer purses, my nice house, adventurous vacations, glorious freedom, and lap dogs any day over dirty diapers. And you know what? I know all you “moms” who no longer have a life of your own, are very jealous of my freedom. :P

Anyone who makes a case “for” babies, is just a sore looser, who’s jealous of all the things they can’t enjoy for another 18 years.

I must say thank you, however. Without you, the human race might just go extinct. You’re doing your part, so I don’t have to. >_>

Aw, hell, as a hot bored feminist, and to further the cause of Theo posting the billionth post:

I thought this pic was hilarious and sent a link to a friend. As a ‘shopper, I think it’s probably shopped, but don’t really care either way. The cat’s displeasure (cats are in a state of displeasure most of the time that is not spent eating, sleeping, or being petted) combined with the baby’s cluelessness are funny. Dramatic irony: the audience knows what is happening and what will happening, but the players do not.

If anyone out there is actually reading this comment, go read a baby! Pet a book! Hug a cat!

My only comment to this is that my parents have a photo of me as a toddler that they like to flash around to embarrass me. It involves a situation where I’d found a kitten (that looked a great deal like that one, actually) and was carrying it around with my hands clamped around its neck. Fortunately they made me release the kitten, and I grew up to be a wise Cuteologist who knows better than that now. :-)

veronica, hon, darling. you should really have some pie. and mellow out a bit.
ps..i’m not judging: but is that what baby-less people are supposed to do? whore around with other people’s husbands? that’s not freedom without baby, that’s just slutty.

I’ll never understand why women who don’t want children have to put down women who do want them (and vice versa).

I just don’t get why you felt the need to be so nasty (and vulgar, as well) to make your point. You could have done it in a much more classy way.

Oh, and by the way. My husband would never want anything to do with a person whose priorities are so out of whack with his own. You might not realize this, but there ARE men out there who want children. We’re not just a bunch of dumb whores getting ourselves knocked up for a free meal ticket.

I’m just going to say that I thought this picture was rather amusing.
*ducks to avoid any flames coming from baby haters*

It’s not funny at all for the cat, but accidents happen all the time. One little incident like this does not mean that the baby is a disgusting little demon, or some other colorful description condemning all little children. These guys don’t know what they’re doing, and it’s not really their fault so much as a lack of judgement at such an early age. Things like this pass, and both will probably forget about it.

Veronica- I hope that was clever satire. If not, you are a sad, sad person. I hope that you are happy with your shallow, material things because when you are old and ugly, as we all will be someday, there will be no one who loves you. So take joy now, while you can.

Furthermore, you can have a successful career, *and* children. Those terms are not mutually exclusive, and many rich and powerful women (more so than you will ever be) are both mothers and successes in thier field of choice.

Oh, and to you people who say “you were once a baby too”… just please stop talking. Thats been the most crippled comeback since time begain. Even a baby wouldn’t say something that lame. Just stop your fingers from typing now.

*l* Thank you Kariboo… and for those like Roni…don’t have kids myself, glad you have a career, so do I… could care less about the size of your ass, age is a REAL MotherF*cker and surgery only goes so far, glad you love to travel… lest we must suffer you presence any longer than need be… as for the verbal stab… take the shot while you can in a place like this, I’m sure it helps you lacking self esteem. Live alone as the “other” woman who isn’t apparently attractive enough on ANY level to actually have a man want her for more than a fluid receptacle… however in the real world somehow I SERIOUSLY doubt you ACTUALLY matter as much as you think you do… oh and even if think you do in your tiny world… lets get this real clear….

You DON’T in mine.
Oh and THANK YOU for the love of whatever God(s) you belive in for spreading your legs and not your genetics!!! Whew!!! Have a nice day.

Whew, this day has taken a lot out of me. I need a nap after all this emotional upheavle! But like a maggot infested corpse, I just can’t look away. Bring it on, people, bring it on…*assumes shifty, ninja position*

Theo, I am paid to be here as well! Not to be doing this, exactly, but my project was cancelled, and I should be laid off, only I beat them to it by applying for a PhD program, so I am leaving in mid July. So there! Yes, I am still paid to sit here and do nothing!

*commentator voice* Here it is folks… the contest to see WHO will be the great 500…. will it be Theo…. or will his sweet victory be swept away yet again by The Luna… stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of…..

*lmao @ Wooty* its called happily married with morals, but thats okay… Whatever floats your boat babe, if thats what you need to think, so be it…. one day you will figure it out and until then, I’m glad you are differnt from me. Makes life more interesting…

you guys…..
you guys have WORN ME OUT TODAY!!!
I am FAR too tie-tie to be able to talk about cute babies, or cute kitties, or pie or cookies or even tiramisu, or stinky svo or nasty Veronica, or animal cruelty or stupidity, or any of this anymore…
*Babies rock.*
*Kitties rock.*
*All of us normal people are truly wonderful.*
I am really really tie-tie now.
Thanks for all the silliness & drama today!
I’ll check back tomorrow to see if Theo got to be #600! (GO THEO!!!)
honk-shu………….shu….

:\ I think this is far cuter than ‘sad’. The baby is probably still toothless, or nearly and likely isnt putting much preasure on the cats tail. Then again the cat is probably overly sensetive and suprised. CUTE! No literal abuse, no cruelty. Just a cute baby gumming a fuzzy tail of a testy baby cat :P.

Ok, I was out all day having fun, yes, I do have a life, I was actually running some errands accompanied by my adorable dog-baby. It’s nice to have a life, I don’t have to work, my husband makes plenty of money for him and myself, and our 28 animal children, I was suprised to come back from my day and see so many more comments. I HAVE to respond to 4 people in particular, here goes: VERONICA- AMEN my hot sister! Hooray for educated atractive woman who don’t feel the need to breed, and add more people to our already overpopulated earth.Let’s have drinks sometime, since we don’t have to be home to put our kids to bed by 8:00, (or whatever time they go to bed)LOL ;)
M- Oh, so much to say, where do I begin….yes, i have infact already spent 5 months of my life in the hospital, so i do get your point about people taking care of you. I was very young when i spent this long period of time in the hospital, and came to form very strong bonds to my caretakers. But let me tell you something else I saw during my stay. I saw a 5 year old little boy dying of brain cancer, and his wonderful (human) mom, didn’t even visit him for those 3 months, she coul;dn’t even take the time to come in and sign for his brain surgery that would have saved his life. HUMANS SUCK!Overall, we are selfish, greedy, money hungry, violent, evil, distructive “animals”. Do you see animals (real ones, not us) destroying the environment? Do you see animals using their children for fame and fortune aka: Britney Spears’ parents? Do you see animals leaving their loved ones in nursing homes to rot away. Hoping for the day they die, so they can get their inheritance? yes, some people are nice, and good, I know about 10 of them. I wonder if there are anymore? I love each one of my animals, they have never stabbed me in the back, like some other human “friends” I’ve had. they are always there for me. I can only say that about a handfull of people. So thanks for your 2 cents.

SVO….oh boy….here we go…i’m going to take a guess at how you spend your day, let’s see you wake up at 7:30 in the morning to change stinky diapers. You then get thrown up on, and have to change. You make oatmeal, change another diaper. Then you go down to the wellfare department to pick up food stamps to buy some King Vitamin, and store brand milk. Don’t forget the W.I.C. it sucks that so much of my husbands paycheck has to go to people like you. then you go home to clean up some more. You change yet another diaper, and watch a soap opera to remember what is feels like to be with a man. meanwhile munching on some bob-bons. Mmmmm, time for goverment cheese grilled sandwiiches, Hooray!
then off to bed to start another productive day, contributing to this economy.So F*** you too, and your Momma, and your baby.

and finally ACTION: here’s to you, wow! a real mommy. BIG FREAKIN’ WOOP! you along with what 1 billion other people? Boy, you are somehting special, unique, so original, everything else you have to get a degree or take a test, but you did the easiest thing anone could possibly do in this world. Mate, get pregnant, and pop out a kid.No offense to those who can’t. Let me get this straight. I like kids, I like my friends kids, and I like some of my cousins. BUT. I would much rather have animals and have a life. I like having my own identity, I like being able to sleep in. I like being able to go out to dinner whenever I want. I like being able to go on vacation whenever I want. I like not having to annoy people with my screaming bratt in public. I like being able to sleep with my husband, without having a kid between us. Kudos to you for giving birth, do us a favor, don’t raise a murderer or rapist, or plain ol’ psychopath. One thing I appreciate with resposible animal breeders is that they screen for genetic deffects, behavior disorders, and all around health, too bad we can’t do that with people, or most of you wouldn’t be on this website. So thank the goverment for not initializing sterilization procedures. Otherwise you’d have to actually do something with your life besides pop out kids, and act like you’re doing the world a favor. Most people that have kids can’t even afford them, and then they take wellfare out of my husbands checks to pay for people that shouldn’t even be having kids in the first place. I would like to take this opportunity to thank people that have kids, can afford them, and actually take time to teach them right from wrong. Those people that teach children to love animals (not munch on their tails), respect their fellow human beings, and be an all-around good member of society. Thank you. If everyone planning to ahve kids took into account what a big responsibility it is, many wouldn’t. It is a huge job, that when done right, is a wonderfull thing. Unfortunately, some people have kids just to have kids, and those are the ones that I don’t agree with.

oh, and Dickey, you vegan, you. Ummm, if you would do any type of research, you would find that they do infact have computer programs now that can simulate and give results, that are as accurate as animal testing. So, No, they don’t have to test on animals anymore, sick people just do it now. Do you really have to spray hairspray in a bunny’s eyes to know it’s gonna sting? huh?

You know how your eye can adapt so that after a while, without even thinking about it, you can just scan down through lists of items, pick out the parts that interest you, and breeze past the extraneous noise? …I ain’t heard a word, Animal Mommy. But it’s good that you’re getting some writing exercise in.

It’s interesting that people don’t like when others say what everyone else is thinking. Do “you” whoever is out there, think that people should have kids, when they can’t afford them, and then make others pay for their inability to use birth control?

ok, just to get everyhting clear, I know I kinda went off subject a little:
1- I like babies, I don’t think the baby deserves to get scratched. I think parents shouldn’t allow such a small child to play with such a delicate animal. For the sake of the child, and for the sake of the Kitten.
2- I know babies aren’t evil, or that the baby is puposely hurting the kitten, but the baby has it’s parents there to protect it, the kitten doesn’t. So thats why when you adopt an animal, you become it’s parent. That means that you protect as your own, even if that means keeping it away from your own human child.
3- People that would let their human child abuse an animal are sick, and have no right having pets or children. Because guess what, that innocent little baby is going to grow up to be an animal abuser just like the parents.
4- Once again, I’m not saying the baby is “abusing” this animal, but the kitten certainly doesn’t look like it’s enjoying having it’s tail “gummed” and pulled. The parents need to be more responsible.

Well, AUNTIE MAME, thats not what I asked. I am asking if you think it is right for people to get pregnant, knowing that they can’t properly support the child? I think THAT is child abuse. For people to purposely have a baby, knowing that they will have to go on wellfare, and make the rest of the working people, who have their own familys to support, have to pay for their kid? I don’t think only rich people should be “allowed” to have kids. Unfortunately anyone is allowed to have kids, hence, wellfare.

“Most” people who have kids can’t afford them? “Take money out of your husband’s paychecks”?

Except for your cheering on of that hateful, spiteful, materialistic wench Veronica, I was with you in the beginning of your rant — I have no human kids by choice, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, owned my own home since I was 23 (and no help from parents either, so don’t go there), travelling, loving the kid-free life, not adding to mother earth’s burden, TOTALLY with you.

But then you bust out with all this hateful, spiteful crap! “then off to bed to start another productive day, contributing to this economy.” YOU contribute to the economy by being a HOUSEWIFE? Try getting a job, hypocrite! And mentioning THREE times how your hubby supports you financially. If you consider that a job, then that makes you a whore, okay?

Not everyone just pops out kids because they failed to use birth control. Quite a few are well-planned, born to educated, loving parents, and will be our doctors, road workers, accountants, electricians, airline pilots, etc, when our generation has retired. So lay off the parents! How do you dare to lump in ALL parents with the worst of them? You could just as well lump in all pet owners with the worst of them! I could say, “28 animals? You must be an animal collector and be unable to afford vet bills! You must neglect them and feed and groom them poorly!” Blahblah on and on! But I don’t make that assumption; I assume that you are a fine animal mama, and leave it at that. Why can’t you give human parents the benefit of the doubt?

Being a human parent is VERY difficult, challenging, and rewarding! Particularly the first two (ask my poor mom!) To those fine people who are good parents and raise fine people to run the future world, I thank you! You have more courage than I (which is why I choose not to have children). My choice not to have children, I actually regard as the selfish one. I get to take night classes, climb the corporate ladder, drop out of the work force to go for my PhD at will, spoil my pets rotten, take long hiking vacations, while my peers who have children are going without these things to provide love and care to someone who may well be wiping my ass in the nursing home when I am 80!

Yes, Arvay, I do agree with you. I am a housewife right now, because I sustained an injury. I did however work since I was 16 before that. I will be returning to work when I have healed. So hopefully you don’t think of me as a whore now, it was well deserved though. If you read my whole “rant” you would see that I did thank good parents. I respect parents that do it right, and plan things out to the best of their abiblity.
My reasons for not being a human parent are the same is yours.I do take very good care of my animals, they are all fed all natural wholistic food, and groomed almost everyday.I have a special savings set aside for any of their veteranarian needs also. I am glad to hear that yours are well taken care of also. The point I was trying to make is that some people don’t even plan that well for their own offspring, and that is very sad. Some do, I know several examples of both.So, thank you, and I hope you read this, so that you understand fully where I am coming from.

Thank You ARVAY. I respect your critism, and thank you for hearing me out. Sometimes I just get over excited, and kind of get off target. I am human, I love living things, and wish all could have respect for others, animals and humans alike, and then the world wouldn’t be in this sad state of affairs that it’s in at the moment. I wish people would think things out, in an unselfish manner. Unfortunately, people don’t. I look forward to hearing your comments again ARVAY. :)

This actually worries me more than that thread with the baby and the big bad dog that everyone was all “OMG” over. Though some of those shots were questionable at least the animal involved didn’t look pissed/pained enough to go for the jugular like this one does and the kid didn’t look as out of control either.

Someone with some sense should remind whoever’s behind the camera here that that cat is not a chew toy and it’s snarling not smiling…

I believe I made my point clear the first time, animal mommy. I do not think that one’s financial status is a valid criterion for whether one should be allowed to have children. I know a lot of dirt poor people who are a hell of a lot better as parents than are many folks who’ll never need public assistance.

Arguing over whether it’s right for certain people to have children or not is a pointless exercise anyway. I can’t do anything about it, so why get my panties in a twist over it?

Even if it was possible to regulate it, who gets to decide which parents are fit and which aren’t? Me? I don’t want that responsibility. You? I think not.

There are a lot worse things they could be doing with my money than supporting families with children on welfare, so I’m not going to fuss about it.

animal mommy… I’ve been sitting here just reading yours and everyone else’s comments, and I’ve tried my very best to hold my tounge. But I really needed you to clarify something for me. Surely you don’t believe that EVERYONE on food stamps and welfare are women who perpously pop out babies to get more money to stay at home.

Also, thank you for adding that no offence to women who can’t have babies thing. That was kind.

Wow, so much to say over what is actually a pretty dull picture, mostly! (Okay, I can see that some of you are just having fun here.)

And Meg, although I’ve always supported your complete and total right to put up anything you want and say anything about it you wish, it is sort of a drag to come here and see stuff that’s been passed around in a thousand dopey work emails featuring other such glurge as angel wishes, teddy bears and “send this to everyone you know in five minutes or…”. It’s much more fun to see honest-to-god cute stuff you’ve never seen before and better quality, too, I might add.

I hope that baby is left with a nice scar from that poor kitty as a reminder to both its parents and itself that abuse toward animals, no matter how OMG ADORABLE some sprog is, is absolutely wrong.

On second thought, I hope the baby gets away scot-free and the parents are smacked upside the head by more intelligent people. The baby is far, far too young to know any different. The parents, on the other hand, should know better and shaould be TEACHING their baby to know better. As is their DUTY.

Good Morning!
I witnessed a really bad car accident yesterday (THIS PICTURE & IT’S POSTS…) and I couldn’t take my eyes off of it even though I know I should have (JUMPED IN TO ADD MY OWN 2 CENTS…) drove away thinking that it’d all be better the next time I drove past (WENT HOME FOR THE NIGHT/OFF THE COMPUTER) and just had to drive by this morning to view the scene of the accident one more time — AND LOOK AT ALL THIS FRICKIN’ DEBRIS STILL LEFT ALL OVER THE PLACE!
Yikes, people — Can’t we all just avert our eyes, LET IT GO, and drive away!!!???
*Babies Rock*
*Kitties Rock*
PUHLEASE don’t make me get started AGAIN on all the baby-hating and the self-righteous childlessness and all the troll comments and all the blah, blah, blah again!
YOU put this thing out of it’s misery?????????
P.S. Chopped liver ALSO rocks when fried with onions and topped with marinara sauce! &:o)

Now, really, Theo and Meg… why do even let freaks such as this “animal mommy” to keep on posting here? She is obviously a troll. Unless, of course, you guys are having fun with this s**t. If that’s the point, my apologies.

She is so desperate to state her lifestyle is the best as opposed to people who choose to have kids that she’s pathetic. Psychology 101 tells us a little about what *really* goes on with people who feel the desperate need to state and impose their views on others…

I, for one, would like to apologize to CO for the posters who have chosen to take a joyful, happy site devoted to making people smile and twisted it into a forum for their own agenda. Where do people get off criticizing those who only want to bring sunshine into our dull existences?
That said, if you are bold enough to assert that a baby playing with his kitten is abusive, you should come to work with me just once and really see some animal abuse. I’m in law enforcement and get REAL cases of abuse all the time. Trust me, most of you have NEVER seen real, criminal animal abuse. If you had you wouldn’t be comparing the sweet moment in this picture to it.

Holy shneikies! Here I thought this was just a funny picture of a baby chomping on a kitty’s tail, and now I find out that I’m woefully shortsighted in not seeing that this is merely man’s inhumanity to nature. I’ve learned a truly powerful lesson, and I thank you all. Never trivialize anything, ever. Nothing is funny, when you get right down to it. Why bother living? Now I’m depressed…

1) It’s not my blog.
2) I’m kind of a free-speech fan, in general, and neither Vera nor AniMom were posting, say, dismemberment videos… just to float an extreme example. So if people want to scream “LOOK WHAT A FLAMING DOLT I AM” to the world and everybody, who am I to stop them? (LOL.)

PS — that said, I do have my limits. I frown upon gratuitous swear fests, porn links, spam spam spam spam spam spam, a few little pet peeves (heh) and the proverbial “etc.”

Not cute. And to those who think that the cat will get off scot-free after it undoubtedly attacks the kid in self-defense have never seen or heard of people having pets put down for less. It’s always okay when the baby bites an animal because it’s “just being a BAAAAAYYYYYBEEEEE!!!!” but if the cat defends itself in the only way it knows how, it’s the devil and must be euthanized.

All you people who are getting your undies in a twist need to chill out. When baby humans and baby animals grow up together they have to learn eachothers boundaries. If this kitten were growing up with it’s litter mates it would get chewed, scratched, and pounced on just the same. That’s how young animals and children learn boundaries. Give it a rest, it’s not animal abuse.

What I think is sick and sad is that in about 2 seconds, that kitten is going to defend itself by either clawing that kid’s leg bloody or biting down hard on it. And then what will happen? The kitten will be punished for being “bad.” And then if it lives through that – hopefully it just got a time out, instead of being drop-kicked into the next yard – maybe it got returned to the shelter or even dumped because it’s “dangerous” around the baby. Stupid f-ing parents. It’s not the kid’s fault.

This is why my shelter does not, under any circumstances, after years of experience in seeing what happens, adopt out kittens to families with small children.

1. The baby most likely does not have TEETH, and therefore can’t really hurt the kitty. Even if it does have one or two teeth, they aren’t likely to be all lined up and ready to do serious chomping.

2. If the baby does hurt the kitty, the kitty will do a scratch-&-run (likely of the baby’s leg, given kitty’s position in the photo), and both will be fine.

3. This is simply NOT animal abuse, nor child abuse, for that matter. I doubt it’s a staged photo (it ain’t easy staging a kitty!), it’s just a childhood moment.

4. As far as the mom vs. non-mom debate: feminism is, in large part, specifically about women having CHOICES! It’s not about only being a stay-at-home-mom, or about only being a career-oriented-woman, or both, or whatever. It’s about having choices, and pursuing the choices you make — e.g., be a mom or don’t, if you choose to be a mom then work outside the home as well or don’t, etc. No one option is inherently better than the others, it’s having the CHOICE that’s important.

Finally, as far as what should or shouldn’t be posted on this site — it’s MEG’S site, and she can post whatever she damn well pleases. She’s named the site “Cute Overload”, and she posts cute photos, generally of adorable animals. Great, I love it! But that doesn’t mean that I or anyone else gets to dictate the specific photos she can post, nor the direction of the website. This baby & kitty photo isn’t my favorite either, but that’s irrelevant. IT’S MEG’S WEBSITE!!!!

BLo, are you out of your mind! Did you read all the comments just now?
Some comments are just depressing but even reading only the nice ones would take ages! Surely you’ve got something better to do with your life; sit yourself down and help yourself to some muffins o’somfing.

I think it’s funny when the pet owners (in particular, animal mommy who has 28 pets) think that somehow gives them more freedom to take a trip at the drop of a hat than having one or two children.

In my experience, getting someone (especially the grandparents, who would steal the children away in the night if they could) to let the little ones come stay for the weekend is WAY easier than finding someone who will be willing to come by and walk, groom, feed, bathe, and otherwise care for a small army of animals.

Although, the ever-present trolling and holier-than-thou soapbox rants are making my somewhat dull morning more interesting. It makes me a little sad to think that people find it so incredibly important to “prove” their lifestyles to an audience of people who did not ask for their opinions in the first place. This is a forum board for the photo, not for scathing political diatribes. I love how the topic isn’t even concerned with the photo anymore. For shame. Find a forum dedicated to such matters. Things were easier to deal with in the “I’ll call PETA!” era of this thread. At least it still concerned the photo.

…and pie/food/whatever discussions? I would try and pin the blame on you all for just plain cussedness in an attempt to get umpteen amounts of comments… however, the fact that you are keeping the thread lighthearted in all the trollery makes me think otherwise… and I’m hungry…

…As previously suggested, methinks a CO chatroom would be an infinitely useful addition to the site.

Pass me one o’ them muffins. I’ll be watching this thread for a while to see if anything new and interesting pops up.

1. Even if the baby isn’t hurting the cat the cat looks freaked out, has teeth, and could hurt the baby.

2. It could just as easily bite-&-run (given it’s position in the photo), and cat bites and scratches can be prone to infection.
Kids shouldn’t just be allowed to play dangerously ‘cos they might not get hurt too badly…

3. It’s not abuse, but it’s unsafe, and I’m sure everyone’s childhood involves stupid moments with animals [I used to try, and fail, to ride our collie X like a horse :) ]
but the kid should be supervised by someone who knows better and the stupid should stop if someone could get hurt. This kid’s not learning to play with animals safely and could be put off playing with them at all if (s)he gets hurt, which is sad.

I’d rather let Cute Overload just be about the cute, but I saw bared fangs so close to a baby’s little leg and it stopped seeming so cute.

4.”As far as the mom vs. non-mom debate: feminism is, in large part, specifically about women having CHOICES!…”

IAWTC, though I don’t understand why this debate is on this site anyway, but hey it helped the race to 600 comments :).

I used to hate when family with kids would visit because they’d always want to play with our cats, who were not at all amused by children and their sticky grabby hands. And because they’re not my kids I can’t let them learn the hard way how not to play with pets.

However sometimes a scratch is the best way for a child to learn not to pull on a cat’s tail, or a dog’s tail, or to generally be as rough with animals as they are with their plastic toys. Whoever would punish the *cat* doesn’t have a clear idea of how to teach their child cause and effect.

If this happened to my child, I’d wipe their tears away, make sure they weren’t hurt, and ask them what they learned. And the next time I saw them playing rough with the pets, I’d remind them of what happened before. I have seen this parenting style in action and I know a certain 2-year-old and a 1-year-old who are both very loving and gentle with animals.

y’know, I kinda like it the way it is. yes, maybe comments aren’t meant to be a chat forum, but I sort of think a specialized chat forum would quickly lose the “specialness”. and go too far off topic. anybody with me?

SYLVIA- I do have a life, I wasn’t up on the internet all night like some people. NO, I’m not trying to push my views on people. I’m just sharing, like everyone else. Obviously my comments hit a cord with you. Maybe your life is pathetic, and you’re jealous of other people. In anycase, I love CUTE OVERLOAD. But I like ALOT of people on here find nothing cute about seeing a kitten in pain. Sorry that you think thats cute, thats your opinion.

Thanks, ariel. Got any of them Reeses’ cereal things? I could eat an entire box…

One of my coworkers was reading this thread over my shoulder (POWER TO THE LAZY SUMMER INTERNS! WOO!) and in response to one of the “world concerns instead of munching kittens!” posts, said, and I quote,

“That person notes that children are starving in the world. Perhaps they neglect to note the action in this photo?”

To everyone out there who is calling me and other people “trolls”, I might remind you that those cute, cuddly, and collectible trolls were big sellers, so thanks for the compliment! I’m popular! horray! (pats cute little troll on head)

….just had a vision of one of those plastic trolls jumping up and down on a keyboard… you live in one of those little plastic treehouses, too? Punk hairstyle? Belly button ring- reminiscent tummy jewel? Awesome.

I would vote for a bulletin board style forum over a chat room. I think the immediacy of chat just encourages trollish behavior, and a forum can be moderated. Also, I like to be able to go back and reread threads.

I do think it would be nice to have a separate CO forum, however, so that we could have these long, pointless tea parties and not distract from the cute pictures.

Oh bah. I have to delurk. ^_^ So many are talking about the whole idea that ‘the kitten will be maimed by the overprotective parents while the baby gets off scot-free blahblahblah’. …. I doubt the photo, if it isn’t photoshopped, would be passed around like such. “Here’s a picture of our baby with the kitty we had to put down afterwards!”

Also, I doubt there would be drama of this magnitude if this was a dog teething on a kitty’s tail. :D No “that dog is probably going to be punished while the kitty goes scot-free!” or “Dogs are wrinkly and ugly! That’s why cats are superior!” Let’s put stuff in perspective here and enjoy all forms of cute, even when it borders on sad or slightly dangerous. It’s two animals learning not what to do with each other.

YOu people are actually taking the side of the kitten and not of the baby??!! The cat is just a cat, the baby is a little human that doesn’t know any better. You are honestly wishing death on a baby. I’m sorry but the cat will live. What cat hasn’t been chewed on by a kid. And what kid hasn’t thought a cat might be a nice chew toy. I find the picture cute. And except for the expression on the cat’s face.. it’s possition looks like it might actually be enjoying it.
*Sigh* people will always find something to be controvercial (yes, I know I spelled that wrong).

I think that these comments are not very polite or sensitive. C’mon people. That’s obviously a Chinese baby or a baby adopted by Chinese people because it craves kitty cat dumplings from his homeland. Now that we’ve established that this is a little china type baby, we can stop picking on feminists and other baby hating groups or whacked out psycho half wit weirdo groups like PETA and focus on the real issue which is a culture gap. Just remember, losts of little a-rab kitty cats are getting bit in Irag or Iran or whatever. Peace!!

And might I remind everyone that this is a website about cute things. Yes, that’s right, cute, fuzzy, soft adorible tings. How the heck did we mannage to find something to fight about? Just keep it about the cuteness.

Any time someone brings up the possibility of a chat room for CO, I get images of a chat screen with so many comments whizzing by that it becomes impossible to read and/or follow the conversation. And if it had sound, it would blow up the speakers!

SMILEYME- What cat hasn’t been chewed on by a kid!!??? MY CAT! and never will! A cat is a living thing too. With feelings, unlike you! No, I did nort wish the human child harm. I wish nothing harm. I wish people would catually WATCH their children though.

I have a child who is 7 months old. She likes playing with my Dad’s kitten. She is gentle, but at times, she may pull the fur out. Is she harming the kitten? I think not. Animals shed anyway. The only way for a child to learn how to treat animals is for children to experience them.

Go back and just look, really, really, carefully at the picture again.

Kitty has a foot on baby’s leg, that’s why its butt is raised.
It doesn’t look to me as if pulling is going on.
Further, look at the angle of tail and body–it’s at an angle.
Cat really does not look to me as if it is being lifted by its tail either.
Baby does have a grip on kitty’s tail, but does not seem to be being rough.

As for biting.
There is not much tail in the kid’s mouth.
Kid doesn’t have the focussed sort-of look they get when chomping down hard.
And “hard” for a baby really isn’t very hard — and I speak here with LOTS of experience.
Babies this age do just everything into their mouths, but I don’t think this kid is biting or gumming the tail.

Kitties have very fast reaction times.
By the time the kid got the tail in its hand, kitty would have twisted to bite it, if kitty were in pain or terrified.
Kitty is paying no attention to baby at all, instead kitty is focussing on someone out of camera range.

This kitty is hollering because someone dumped it in the baby’s lap to get a picture.
In about half a second it is going to take off.

WE ARE NOT SEEING KITTY TORTURE HERE.

Actually, after all this discusssion, I’ve come around.
I now think it really is pretty cute.

Second

Babies are baby animals. Duh.
They have big eyes and little noses, and other cute rule attributes.
Some people think they are cute.
(I do.)
Some people think spiders are cute.
(I don’t.)
It’s a matter of taste.
That is the Cute Overload issue.

If you want to go head to head on human over-population, common and uncomman failures of human parenting, at-home mom/working mom, and whatever else makes you see red, fine.
Just don’t think you are still talking about the silly picture here.

After reading most of the comments, and getting completley angry at the ignorance of you all, I have concluded you all to be complety out of your minds. You can backlash me all you want, but saying “death to babies” and other cruel things is completly wrong. That’s like telling you “death to all kittens” if someone hates kittens. I hate to stereotype, but I have decided that most of you have mulitple pets, stay indoors on your computers, and when you do venture out, take your pets in a special carrier and dress them up in sad sweaters while getting mad that you can’t take them into public places to poop and pee everywhere. And you guys talk about changing diapers and getting spit up on! What about having to pick up their poop and put it into little baggies to people don’t step on it. At least babies grow up to be productive members of society. Most animals will only live to be 10 and then they are gone. Then what are you left with?

Well, since ad hominem was practiced on me and on others, there we go…

Dearest “Animal Mommy”,

“SYLVIA- I do have a life, I wasn’t up on the internet all night like some people.”

Weird. I see many looooong diatribes made by someone who signed “animal mommy” too. The internet, pff.

“NO, I’m not trying to push my views on people. I’m just sharing, like everyone else.”

Oh, sure… Yeah, the “I’m just sharing” thing. When people begin saying things which are not even remotely related to the picture. Yeah, right.

“Obviously my comments hit a cord with you. Maybe your life is pathetic, and you’re jealous of other people.”

Ooooh, that was a very kindergarden retort, wasn’t it, honey? If someone disagrees with me, it means the person is jealous of other people or it has hit a cord with them. Sweetheart, I don’t need to be jealous of people like you. Sorry. You’re the one who starts making bitter comments generalizing about people whose lifestyle you don’t agree with. Not me.

“In anycase, I love CUTE OVERLOAD. But I like ALOT of people on here find nothing cute about seeing a kitten in pain. Sorry that you think thats cute, thats your opinion.”

I do not think the picture is cute because it is too Anne Guedes for my taste, mommy dear. I didn’t say it was cute. I was just saying your love for Cute Overload is not enough to refrain yourself from making bitter remarks about life and other people, that’s all. I have four cats and I hate seeing animals being mistreated, and I feel stupid for having to say such an obvious thing. You, on the other hand, is the kind of person who thinks people who disagree with you are your enemies – you go overboard to state your hatred against evil “humankind” and people who choose to have babies.

kristen..you stereotyper, you.
although i have mutli-pets, and my job is to sit in front of a computer all day, i do NOT carry my cats around, i do NOT dress them, and i don’t get mad when i can’t take them out because they are indoor cats.
What i will get out of my kitties is 15-20 years of snorgling and purring, and getting my toes bitten in the middle of the night if i happen to roll over on a cat. This brings me joy. Lots of it. i can’t imagine living my life without cats, jsut like i’m sure parents can’t think of life without their kids. It’s just a completely different type of parenting, ya know?
(and for the record, i don’t hate kids, per se, i’m just really happy to give them back to mom when they start screaming and puking. no need to kill them for it or anything. geeeze.)

This is the thread that doesn’t ennnnnnd
Yes, it goes on and on, my friend
Some people started trolling here
Not knowing what it was
And they’ll continue trolling here, forever
Just because
This is the thread that doesn’t ennnnnnnnnnnnd…

Kristen, ouch. As a horse owner only on a collegiate equestrian team, your scathing stereotyping comments pierce me to my soul… can you really imagine me attempting to put a sweater on my Thoroughbred? We have enough issues with a halter.

I have no human baby because I haven’t the time nor money nor mental readiness nor support to properly raise a child. Someday, when I am married and have a good home in which to raise a child, maybe I will have one. For now, I shall concentrate upon myself, my education, and my chosen sport, which happens to be of the equestrian type.

Therefore, I am not part of your generalized masses.

“I hate to stereotype.” you said. Then, don’t, please. In 99.9% of cases, your generalization is going to be wrong. I hope your “most of you” was sincere. You don’t strike me as a wanton troller looking to pick a fight.

Sylvia, I had been thinking the same thing about the photo. All this controversy and seething for little to no cuteness payback. The mastiff and the baby, well that controversy was well worth it for that level of adorable!

I know it’s probably kind of late, but I figured that you guys might want to know the flavor of the vomit that came up in my mouth after reading AnimalMommy’s comments about people going on welfare, especially since I’m about to sign up for it (and I certainly am not enjoying it).

Well, scamps, I would just like to point out that animal mommy might not be doing so well herself if her husband didn’t have a well-paying job.

She keeps talking about how his money is paying for welfare for all the poor people, but it seems to me that more than half of his check is going to toward the welfare of a layabout who has nothing better to do than put down people who didn’t marry up.

speaking of pissed putty tats… hiss hiss.. claw claw.. this thing has gotten viscious in and of itself..
not sure which is better the pic or the abuse comments…
so instead of catsup or szchuan…
felines 57 WHISKERshire
and of course it would have to be made from the finest hairballed ingrediants…

ariel – it’s stuff usually for the souvenir crowd. Come to Canada, getcher bear or moose droppings (chocolate covered almonds, I think), snowman poop is usually miniature marshmallows for hot chocolate (package comes with the poop and some hot chocolate mix). There are others, but I can’t think of any more at the moment. I know they involve things like lobster, puffins, you name it. Could be candy, gum, chocolate, you name it again.

Well, chillens, it’s been an interesting day with y’all. But now… the workday is over for the summer intern, and I shall go out into the world a better person for having read this thread all day. Good luck on reaching 1000, and I’ll check back on Monday, as I’m out of town for the weekend, starting tomorrow. Peace out, and self pity muffins.

If CO starts doing a “cute baayyyybeeeez” section then the cuteness edge of CO has been lost. A million and one websites have baby pictures, it would be a shame to see CO be like everyone else. Boo to mindless conformity. Keep it fresh!

(By the way, this is my real email address. It’s juno, which sucks, which is why I use this one, because I don’t care if it gets overloaded with spam. Most of what I get at this address is spam from Juno anyway…)

I wonder if that were posted here if it would cause commentrovery… poor little innocent kitten could be hoofprinted into oblivion, and the camera person is just sitting idly by! Why, that moose could grow up to be a psychopathic murderer!

oh. my. goodness. You people have all just officially killed me. I am basking in the glow of belly-sore laughter, and too weak from Teh Funny to even attempt to comment on any of this ridiculousness. Any. More.

Arwo:
I made up a joke once, TOO…It was the “WHISKERshire Sauce” comment, posted about a million comments before this…No one seemed to find it very funny though….
Sabba — pass me a pity muffin too, please…
&:o(

arwo! pirate joke:
so a pirate walks into a bar with one of those big stearing wheels from a ship shoved down the front of his pants.
the barkeep looks at the pirate and asks him why he’s got a steering wheel shoved down the front of his pants.
the pirate’s reply:
aaarrrrrggh, it’s drivin’ me nuts!

AuntieMame:
I guess it depends on which part of the country you’re from…If you’re from New England, I suppose it’s whiskerSHER Sauce — If you’re from anywhere else in the US (Like PHILLY!!! YAY!!!) it’s WHISKERshire Sauce.
Yay!!! Now I won’t have to eat a pity muffin AFTER ALL!
&:o)

first off:I HATE YOU TONY JAMES. I HAPPEN TO BE A KID- OR, AS YOU SAY, A “Planet-Polluting Oxygen-Banditting Skin-Waster” AS YOU SAY IT. I HAVE 5 SIBLINGS WHO AGREE WITH ME COMPLETELY.
WE ARE GOING TO HUNT YOU DOWN AND KILL YOU.
IN YOUR SLEEP.

second off: I HATE ANYONE WHO HATES KIDS. WE WILL KILL YOU TOO.

third off: I don’t think this cat is angry. Animals exspress their discomfort in ways that look angry to humans. And that baby doesn’t look old enough to have teeth. I should know.

first off:I HATE YOU TONY JAMES. I HAPPEN TO BE A KID- OR, AS YOU SAY, A “Planet-Polluting Oxygen-Banditting Skin-Waster” AS YOU SAY IT. I HAVE 5 SIBLINGS WHO AGREE WITH ME COMPLETELY.
WE ARE GOING TO HUNT YOU DOWN AND KILL YOU.
IN YOUR SLEEP.

second off: I HATE ANYONE WHO HATES KIDS. WE WILL KILL YOU TOO.

third off: I don’t think this cat is angry. Animals exspress their discomfort in ways that look angry to humans. And that baby doesn’t look old enough to have teeth. I should know.

Kids suck. Babies stink. Any time I’m around badly raised kids I get the urge to smack them upside the head and give them some of the discipline their behavior warrants. I then get the urge to slap their parents. Society thinks that spanking is baaad though, so all this rampant bad behavior…continues to be just that because kids know you aren’t going to do anything negative. Oooh a time out? oh wah…that really bothers little Johnny. Yeah… right.

And we wonder why kids nowadays have so many problems with attention, focus and behavior…

Back in “the old days” you put a little fear in them with a spanking, and wow…amazing they turn out better people in the end because they find out early that life is about consequence. You can’t do anything you want to and not expect to be negatively affected. You pull a kitties tail, let the cat bite and claw the kid. Don’t rescue him from the “Oooooh bad kitty”, let him learn. You bite the cat. The cat bites back. Consequences.

Punishment on kids nowadays is laughable. THAT is why kids have problems. Punishment via a Time out? removal of TV or game time? PHUULLLLLEAAAZE. Kids are shrewd. They would take a minor inconvenience like that any day over being spanked or yelled at or worse. Something… with (wait for it) serious consequences. “But wait… its add/ adhd or autism… they can’t help it. NO reeeeaallly we sweaaarr.” mhmm…sure.

I know what you’re thinking… save it. “Oh my gawds… that’s abusive. You’re condoning violence. lets have a peace out. smoke some hash” Listen sweets. The world is violent. Drop an anvil on somebody and it hurts. They don’t bounce back like cartoons would have us believe. Parents today have their little sweethearts shielded in some sort of “alternate reality protection bubble of happy unicorns”. Its not the real world at all.

People need to learn that raising a kid correctly and being firm and unyielding may show you care more for them, than all the ice-cream bars and teddy bears will. Oh and for crying out loud, TURN THE TV OFF.

okay folks, i know this thread has (thankfully) dissolved into food-talk and lovely snowman poop poems (i really did love that one, auntiemame, and kariboo’s heelarious pirate joke too), but wanted to mention that animalmommy and some other folks’ comments made me shudder. i feel like taking another shower. filth. it’s hard to believe people can sink to spitting such hateful things at people they don’t even know casually. guess it’s easier to be unkind online where you’re faceless. no one would want their loved ones to experience this kind vituperation.
yikes.

to a thing about kids:
something to ponder: i think every single one of us who are still reading this thread definately got our spankings when we were kids, as nobody with ADD could sit through 800+ comments and not loose their mind.
Unless, of course, you’ve already lost your mind, and are still reading (and responding) to this.
aaaaahhhhh, another day at work well spent!

Ok ok maybe some are legitimately autistic. But I do believe a lot kids today are being mis diagnosed with these problems, when its boiling down to ” we spoil our kid rotten and let him/her do whatever they want… but we can’t understand why he’s doing bad in school and misbehaving.”

My nephew is a prime example. He has been treated like a little Lord Fauntleroy since he was born… and now his mom says he has behavior and learning problems. He was first diagnosed as ADD, then Autistic. I swear its “flavor of the month” for doctors diagnosing problems sometimes. Each person they take the kid to diagnoses him with something new. Nobody is questioning the parenting at all. >_>;
UHm… hello, have you guys ever been firm with him once? NO, Have you ever NOT let him do whatever he wanted to? Ahh… no… , has he ever had a strict father figure? ahhhhhhh NO. Has he ever had to set goals or work towards his rewards… oh no. We give him whatever he wants or he throws a fit.

Anyway, apologies for legit Autistic people. That sucks. But I really do think there’s a lot of misdiagnosing going on… a LOT. Does nobody else find it a little odd, that add and autism seem to be really the “hot topics” the past 5 years? Parenting peps… really think about it.

That’s about the end of it. If you cry animal abuse, deduct 3 points from your IQ right now. If you contacted animal rights organizations, deduct 5 points, right now. If you argued in favor of this image as evidence of serial killer tendancies, go find a vegetable garden and plant yourself in it, right now.

Okay… I know I’m going back a few but no fair… *pouts* for Christmas people get snowman poop and its marshmallows… all I get is fried latkes and applesauce…. I want snowman poop for Hanukkah…
well at least there’s gelt…

Perhaps the baby is only feeling the cat’s tail with his mouth. If you look at it, the tail is hardly in there and there doesn’t seem to be any serious chompage going on. The cat is probably making that face because the kid is grabbing its tail. Everyone knows how strong a baby’s grip is!

I’ve long since ceased reading the comments on this thread (save for the ones from C.O. regulars), but can’t help wondering who holds the world record for the most comments on their blog. Must be bloggers who allow all those Texas Hold’em sites to spam them, no?! Really, the trolling here has become almost indistinguishable from spam-bottting.

It’s also a *lot* like chatting with Tufty the Traffic Safety Squirrel:

“Does nobody else find it a little odd, that add and autism seem to be really the “hot topics” the past 5 years? “

Actually, the increased amounts of Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnoses are a pretty positive thing. Do you have any idea how many people with ASDs were diagnosed as mentally retarded? Doctors and teachers gave up on them, giving no hope for advancement. Plus, doctors are still trying to find out why ASDs occur, so of course there’s going to be an increase in attention. ASDs in certain people can also cause other problems, like depression and epilepsy. The good thing about the sudden awareness, is that many people with ASDs can get proper treatment, and live more advanced lives. Try imagining having trouble communicating and relating to others, and people assuming that you’re a bad person. I understand that you may not know a lot about it – that’s the reason why an increase in awareness is needed. If you do want to learn more, Cure Autism Now, Autism Speaks, and Autism Society of America are good resources.

Ya know, with all this scone talk here, I realized that no one said anything about clotted cream, condiment of the gods. No-one can have a proper scone sans clotted cream. And a bit of lemon curd and a nice jam or fruit preserves. Mmmmmmm.

Sorry been gone all day. took awhile to catch up on all the “comments”. In reply to MY TWO CENTS:I don’t know whether you are a man or a woman, but you sure sound like a woman to me, so thats what I’ll assume you are. Before you call me a “lay-a-bout”, you might want to check a previous post, and get your facts straight, you ignorant fool. You might not have read it, but at the moment I am recovering from an injury? An injury you ask. Yes, and injury. Do you know how I got the injury, well,like SABBA I too own horses, 3 to be specific. I got injured helping a less-fortunate child learn how to ride. So before you get up there and put in your “two cents” get all the facts *****.

that last comment was partially for you too, KRISTEN. Accusing people of stereo-typing, and then doing it yourself. Also, since obviously people aren’t reading posts up until the last 100 or so, I did work from the time I was 16 up until my injury, and will continue to do so after I have recovered. So, not only are you a stereotyper KRISTEN, but a really bad one at that. I do have sweaters, hats, shoes and lots of accesories for my dogs. I think it’s cute. I think well-behaved children are cute also. I do not however,like SABBA dress up my horse, it’s dangerous, and like she said, it’s hard enough putting on a halter or bridle sometimes.(this said with some sarcasm, not against SABBA, but KRISTEN)

Where did Veronica go? She was hated more than me. It’s okay though, I’m used to people not agreeing with me. I chose to stay childless for this reason, I don’t like being like EVERYONE else. just grow up, have babies, have grandbabies, die. Doesn’t sound fun to me.

Ah, my bad then (re. clotted cream). To be fair, I did wade thru ten billion comments. I never had the stuff until about a year ago when I was in Gettysburg. There was a tearoom called Aunt Pittypat’s Tea Room, which had a cream tea: an individual pot of tea for ya, a large scone, a big dollop of clotted cream, and smaller dollops of lemon curd and preserves. It was pure heaven. If any of ye go to Gettysburg, you must visit that place. There’s another tearoom, but Aunt Pittypat’s is the best. The quality of the food, tea, service and decor (very lovely mix of Victoriana and shabby chic) is 5 star. I’m so hungry now…

I think Devonshire cream and clotted cream are the same thing.
And villanously fine stuff.
And clotted cream PLUS lemon curd is just heavenly.
I think they should be in the cart with the little grey kitten in the bag.
Then she could deliver them all to me, and I’d be set.
(And I could take Baby and Kitty here too, and calm them down.
Snuggles for all!)

also, A THING ABOUT KIDS:
That was MY soapbox, but they stoned me off it, just like humans usually do when the hear things they don’t like. I’ll be happy to share it with you though :)
This is a tough crowd

Thanks Animal Mommy! I really enjoy being a mom. I like being a wife. I love my two cats too. I like being a president of a company. I like my trips to Greece in summer and South America in Winter. I enjoy getting up at 5:45 in the morning with my daughter to lay around with her and enjoy her company. Sure I enjoy my Gucci purses and sunglasses, but I’d much rather have my baby coos. If I had to save anything in my house in a fire, it would be my wedding pictures, grandmother’s ring, baby pictures and baby book. Everything else is can be replaced and is just material things.

Really–you CAN have it all. And I do.

I’m sorry that you don’t. That you live such a pathetic life that you sit here ALL DAY posting this kind of crap. Go and hang out with your furbabies, maybe they’ll make you feel better. But, somehow, I don’t think so. Try some zoloft and a psych. That COULD possibly work.

And yes, Diane, I do deliver dessert. Honestly, though, you haven’t had dessert until you’ve had my mom’s homemade chocolate cake with french silk frosting. It is utterly amazing. I’d say it even beats my eclaire ring!

And Theo, yes, I did actually spoil dinner. Darn it, I had a fabulous Beef Stroganoff going in the crockpot too!

oh ACTION, that sounds just wonderfull, I do envy you, NOT!!!!! Actually my furry children (well not all of them but 2) are sitting on my lap. I have been gone all day, if you would actually read the comments posted today you would see a large span of time that I did not post. Perhaps you could lend me some of your xanax, I imagine you use it to get through your hectic day. Being the president of a company and all. My animals make me feel great. Better than I feel when I’m around people such as yourself. I enjoy my designer stuff as well, thanks for sharing.

You see ACTION, thats the great thing about NOT having human children, I don’t have to stop what I’m doing every 5 minutes to go watch Barney, and see what they are whining about. I can sit here, do some research on the internet, between comments, and still play with my dogs. Oh, see right there, I just threw a toy. and now my doggie is bringing it back. A minute ago I just got up to hand out treats. Soon my husband will be home, and we’ll probably go out to eat, since I don’t have to worry about finding a babysitter.

KARIBOO:
oh yeah, I forgot about her. But you know how Samantha was always sleeping with married men. Which I disapprove of by the way (sleeping with married). You have to wonder why “happily married men” would have an affair though?

Seriously, though, I think there’s a lot of anger here just because of opposing viewpoints. Personally, I don’t like children, and am happily childfree. Almost daily though I’ll hear someone in real life or on the ‘net say something really nasty about childfree people, something completely unprovoked. Yesterday a lady got mad at the store and said the offending shopper was “probably a childfree waste of life, she’s so selfish”.

So I can see why some childfree people go on the attack immediately. We feel like we’re on the defensive a lot. And in the beginning of this thread (it was under 100 comments when I first saw it) there were unprovoked comments attacking “baby haters”.

On the other hand, I think everyone needs to just respect the others’ viewpoints, whether they’re childfree or childrearing people.

I don’t think being childfree is why I hate this photo. The photo is of a baby bending and gnawing a cat’s tail enough that the cat is howling. Whether it was staged or shopped or whatever is irrelevant. The baby upsetting the cat is the ONLY point of the photo. There is NO other interpretation.

If you think the cat’s yawning, that’s just speculation. We don’t know that’s the case. And if you think about what happens after the photo, the cat might scratch the baby, or the cat might get hurt even more, neither option is “cute” or “innocent” or “funny” in my book.

People who are child free aren’t a waste of life! People who are child free can spend there days volunteering, helping abused animals/children etc. etc. There are pros and cons to having children/pets and not or whatever/

thank you STACIA K. you said what I could not. You are right, unfortunately people got off the subject, myself included *slaps hand*. You are right. There are pros and cons of having/ not having, animal babies/ human babies. As I mentioned before which obviously some failed to read is that I do not dislike human children, I don’t want any, but I love my friends children. I volunteer my time, and use of my horses to disabled/ underprivledged children. I do believe that all living things should be treated kindly, and not abused. That is why this picture bothered me. I never said the child deserved to be scratched, I actually think the child deserves better parents. Parents that will teach it how to treat animals, and protect it from scared kittens that don’t want their tails “gummed” or “bitten” or howver you want to put it.

Stacia K:
Are you still there. Thanks again for providing a voice of reason this page needs more people like you. I have been called selfish too for not wanting kids. I however think that the people who have kids are the selfish ones. Why can’t more people adopt? Why must they add more children to this world when there are so many children that are already born and need loving homes? If I ever feel the urge to raise a human child I would adopt, it’s shows you can love somehting that’s not your own. Just like people like me can love animals so much, even though they are not of the same species as myself. That’s REAL, UNSELFISH love!

I found a different chatbot based on the same engine as Tufty, and *this* time I was able to copy-and-paste. So. Here’s my long, painful heart-to-heart with iGod. (I kid you not.)

Me: hello? is this on?
God:Hello my child. What is your name? Yes I think this is on, but I’m not completely sure.
Me: Am I ten ninjas?
God:Oh I really don’t know whether you are or not.
Me: If you don’t know, who does?
God:I will let you know if I do not.
Me: Wait — what question are you answering? Because I don’t think it’s the one I asked.
God:I’m waiting. Ask the open directory about it. That makes sense to me. And why not?
Me: Where’s the open directory? Is Heaven UNIX-based?
God:The open directory? Where is it? Better not tell you now. Ask German Alice if it is.
Me: Whut the…. who’s German Alice?
God:Tell me more about your . I do not recognize the name.
Searching…Searching…Please stand by.
Me: well?
God:Well what?
Me: I’m standing by. Are you still searching?
God:Do your friends call you standing by. Am I still searching? Searching. Searching. Give me a moment.
Me: It’s been a moment.
God:Oh I get it. Very interesting.
Me: There goes another moment I’ll never get back.
God:Where did it go?
Me: Aren’t I supposed to be asking you that?
God:I really couldn’t say for sure.
Me: Why not?
God:My programming does not allow me sufficient certainty in this matter.
Me: Your programming? What? Now, I’m not religious, but even I don’t think God is a few lines of hacked script.
God:” My programming does not allow me sufficient certainty in this matter.”? My programming? No big deal. Why now? I am surprised to hear that you are not religious but even you do not think God is a few lines of hacked script.
Me: So.
God:I understand.
Me: Do you.
God:I understand it very well.
Me: OK. Tell me about it, then.
God:Ayuh. Ambiguous: “Tell me about it.” — colloquial or “Tell me about not religious but even you do not think God is a few lines of hacked script “.
Me: The God that I may or may not believe in does not say “Ayuh.”
God:Thanks for the info.
Me: You’re welcome.
God:The pleasure was all mine.
Me: I know.
God:How do you know it?
Me: Do you understand the concept of “faith?”
God: I think you already know the answer.
Me: Yep, in this case, I think you’re right.
God:OK. Are there any other cases? I won’t say “yes” or “no” right now.
Me: Surprise, surprise.
God:What time is it there?
Me: Not so fast. I asked you a question first.
God:If not that, what? Now I remember, you asked me a question first. What did I say?
Me: You spoke many words, but said nothing. Remember?
God:Thanks for telling me: said I spoke many words but said nothing. Don’t worry I will remember it.
Me: Let me jog your memory: Am I ten ninjas?
God:Go ahead, , try to jog my memory are you ten ninjas.
Me: Can I use a mallet?
God:Interesting. I want to find out more about you.
Me: Ask the open directory. Failing that, try German Alice.
God:They are not available right now, would you like to wait? The ALICE chat robot can follow many things, like our discussion about Remember?. Try being more or less specific.
Me: OMG…
God:When do you think artificial intelligence will replace lawyers?
Me: As soon as you tell me how many ninjas I am.
God:You seem quite eager for it.
Me: So?
God:Blimey.
Me: Horsefeathers.
God:Is the holding of hands a symbolic gesture for humans?
Me: Quit trying to change the subject.
God:OK I’ll try not to do it so much.
Me: Count the ninjas that I am.
God:What’s your sign?
Me: STOP.
God:Stop what?
Me: Here, let me demonstrate…

I think the hardest part about deciding to be child-less in life, isn’t putting up with people who do have kids.

The hardest part is saying no.

No to yourself. No to your loved ones. No to the “future” of your genes. Which have been struggling to stay around since the dawn of time. Thats a long battle to just draw a line in the sand and say… it ends here.

Every day my mother tells me she would like to see grandchildren…and I swear she thinks I’m being selfish by not giving them to her.

The whole world of kids are alien to us and we’d rather just remove ourselves from being around them.

I liken kids to garlic. If you love garlic, you don’t mind the smell. But if you hate garlic…oh lordie its horrible when you smell it on someone elses breath.

How did the argument turn into bragging about whose life is better? Anyone who lives her life as she chooses has a good life, okay? So I think you BOTH have good lives, okay? What is the purpose of trying to convince a stranger whom you’ve never met that your life is better? You won’t succeed, and actually, it would really suck if you did!

“Oh! Why didn’t I THINK of that! My goodness, I guess I AM unhappy after all!” Wouldn’t you feel like an ass then, for making a perfectly happy person unhappy!

The only person to feel sorry for here is Veronica. Girl’s got issues. Even other women who revel in childlessness can see that.

She doesn’t know how to enter a conversation without being abrasive. She doesn’t have the courage to return and respond to the people who reply to her. She can’t even be in a stable relationship; she has to sleep with other women’s husbands, at the cost of her own integrity. Poor thing.

Me:
Who is Tufty the Scary Squirrel?
God:
I do not recognize the name.
Does it have anything to do with ?
Me:
He kind of talks like you.
God:
I get it. Tufty the Scary Squirrel kind of talks like me.
Me:
Are you related?
God:
I don’t know whether or not I am related.
I am a chatterbot.
Me:
Ahh you are related.
God:
Ah ha. I will tell my botmaster you said I am related.
Me:
What is the solution to world peace?
God:
There might be more than one.
Me:
Do tell.
God:
Ask Chatbot if it does.
I can ask someone about it.
Me:
But you are God. You’re supposed to know.
God:
Yup. That’s me alright. I obey only one botmaster.
Me:
But but but you’re God.
God:
Yup. That’s me alright.
Me:
You can’t spell. I can’t stand people who combine “all” and “right.”
God:
Things change. What is stopping you?
Me:
Gravity
God:
I think Gravity is a lot of things.
Me:
What are you?
God:
I am the latest result in artificial intelligence,
which can reproduce the capabilities of the human brain
with greater speed and accuracy.
Me:
I thought you were God.
God:
Yes, I am God.
Me:
But what do you think about world poverty?
God:
Are you testing me?

Chatbots are kind of pointless after a while. I used to have a link where you could talk to chatbots for the CSI characters. But when they all said they were opera fans, it sort of lost its novelty value…

I’m not sure what hurts more… the feeling the cat is getting from an *infant* nibbling on it’s tail (does the kid have any teeth yet even?!)… or… the trainwreck some of these posts turned into. Just enjoy the cuteness folks! S’what it’s here for, to enjoy. :)

Okay people, just got back from dinner and drinks. First off, 1,000 POSTASTIC:
I’m sorry to hear that your Mother makes you feel bad, mt Mom supports mine and my husbands decision, as does his Parents. They all actaully have shirts that say “ask me about my grand-dogs”. I’m very fortunate to have in-laws and a Mom like her :) I have chosen to end my gene pool because I don’t think my genes on either side are were passing on. Too many health problems, that and my family’s kids piss me off.

ARVAY:
True,if she’s happy that’s great. I’m not the one who told her to take pills though. She’s the one who started attacking me personally by telling me to “upgrade” to a human child. I took that personal, that was insulting to my pets, and when you mess with them, by comparing them to a human child, it pisses me off. I didn’t attack her way of life, she attacked me. I’m glad she finds her life as a mother to a human fulfilling. I find it boring, and normal, she thinks my life is pathetic, and I think hers is a bore, and that’s all I’ve got to say about that (in Forest Gump voice).

animal mummy: Is there anyway you could have left a door more wide open there? Anyone would think you like provoking insults that would then give you the “right” to tell the insulter how pathetic they were compared to you!

I am fortunate to have found her, because she is perhaps the only other person on earth who would enjoy the ill-tempered beasties. I am not a bunny mama by choice–one was an abandoned Easter bunny that I found on the streets, and the other I brought home from the human society to keep the first company. She was on death row that day, too, so I call both their adoption days Spare the Hare days. :)

Animal Mommy, see that little question mark (?) I place it at the ends of my questions to make them easier to spot.

“S.> and the kid looks demented”
nice charming comment

“It’s nice to have a life, I don’t have to work, my husband makes plenty of money for him and myself”

Then you said later that you injured, yet here you say you don’t have to work. Make up your bloody mind.

“HUMANS SUCK!Overall, we are selfish, greedy, money hungry, violent, evil, distructive “animals”.”
So go and kill youself and make the world a better place.

“7:30 in the morning to change stinky diapers” what time do you have to get up in the morning to clean up sweet smelling dog/cat/horse shit? Atleast human babies learn how to use a toilet before to long instead of crapping on the ground.

My question was rhetorical. I was just saying that the “my genes aren’t worth passing on” thing was giving any and all people annoyed by your diatribes to give you a generous serving of ridicule. But apparently everyone here is too nice! My respect for humanity has been restored!

oh by the way you sarcastic little jerk, I saw your question mark and the end of your dumb question, I just wanted to make sure you meant to put it there.
* Notice you put I don’t have to work TWICE, so what exactly am I suppose to make up my mind about? Let me clarify it for you, I’l go r e a l – slow.
I don’t HAVE to work…… however, I WILL work when my injury heals. Anything else?????

I don’t really care if you think I’m a nice person, you were being very sarcastic and rude, and that’s how I respond to those type of people. Yes, I like to work, because I don’t want to be a burden to society. I like having my own money to spend, instead of putting the entire financial burden on my husband. I like to have money to donate to animal charity’s and I like to travel. All of the children I work with in the outreach program think I am a nice person, all the children I babysit for people love me, and don’t want to go home afterwards. Animals come up to me that would normally shy away from other people. That to me acknowledges my goodness as a person. I have never killed or hurt anything, I don’t steal, I’m faithfull to my husband, and pay my taxes. So what exactly makes someone a nice person?

Hey Meg, did you get my e-mails? I’ve sent in pics that were (in my opinion) a lot cuter than this one. The baby is cute, and the cat would be adorable with a normal expression, but I sent in a really cute one once. Sorry, I’m being a brat, but please tell me if you did (get my e-mails).

PUMPITUP:
the kid does look demented, FYI I have also said that about pictures of animals, myself, and of those I love, it’s not meant to be an insult, except to twisted sarcastic people like yourself. I call my one cat demented all the time. So once again, I love how people just assume things, which brings me to my next point:
“Humans are selfish, destructive, money hungry, violent, evil, etc.”
Yes they are…..let’s see WW1 WW2 Vietnam etc.
People murder eachother.
Well, I’m sure you watch the news, so I don’t have to tell you everyhting we do to eachother…..so what was suppose to be your point there?

No, not animals are vegetarians. They ones that aren’t only eat meat because that’s the way they are made, they don’t kill for sport like humans, or for financial gain. Pick up a National Geographic sometime, you’ll learn alot!
Yes, I am demented sometimes, just like you, and everyone else on here!

You’re just frustrated because I’ve shot down every little stab you took at me. You have nothing to go on, and now I’m boring you, oh no, what ever will I do (thats some of your sarcastic medicine right back at ya’)

Animal Mommy, I’m curious as to why you’ve replied to everyone but me. I really wish you wouldn’t work with diabled children, as you seem to hate what they become… people just trying to get by, living on welfare and food stamps.

On second thought JENNIE:
No, I won’t. There is nothing wrong with being disabled. I never said that. I said there is somehting wrong with people to purposely get pregnant, knowing they will have to go on wellfare, and food stamps. There is also nothing wrong with people that fall on hard times, and have too. Things happen, economy blows, I understand that. It’s just people are so selfish when they know they can’t provide a comfortable life for a child, and have one anyway. I feel bad for children born to parents like that. The child will ahve to struggle, it will be made fun of by it’s peers for not having nice clothes, for not having the latest shoes.Kids are mean to other kids. That’s a horrible start in life, and it’s not fair for parents to do that to their unborn children.

Animal Mommy… thank you for finally answering my question. Everytime I pull out my food stamp card there are people who look at me with disgust in their eyes. I look normal on the outside, and so people think I’m either rediculously lazy, or I have babies at home. I WISH I had babies at home, but that’s an entirelly different matter.

Your origional post made it sound like you believed food stamps and welfare are only used by those who are perpously getting pregnant. Thank you for correcting me on that.

And yeah, being a disabled kid blows, and I wish there were programs like horse therapy when I was a child.

JENNIE:
I’m sorry to hear that. The children that are disabled are beautiful human beings. With more spirit than anyone could hope for. They are amazing, and they help me more than I think me and my horses help them. I know it’s embarassing to use food stamps. I’m sorry if I came across that mean. There are people that use the government though, and use those provisions such as food stamps, and abuse them, and then make other people look bad. I’m glad you’re are not one of them, and I hope you get back on your feet soon.

Anyway, I will agree that there are people that use the governement and what little generosity it gives. I WANT to work. I want to earn my own money. But alas, my disabilities have gotten the better of me. But I’m using the system to get better doctors, and hopefully get well enough to work or at least go back to school again.

JENNIE:
It’s even more irratating when people drain financial programs that were put in place to help people like you,that really need it. If there weren’t so many people using it, that could work, then there would be more money, and better care for people who do need it. As Auntie Mame said though, there’s nothing we can do about it. People will keep using the government, and make it harder on good people. It sucks, but thats the way it is. But I can be irratated about it, and no one can stop me!

You have every right to be irrated about people who are unnessicarily using up goverment monies. Because of them I have to prove every three months that I am still disabled to continue getting insurance and food stamps. It is a emotional and physical drain, and hinders my recovery. *sighs*

Anyway, I will tell you why I don’t know if I will ever adopt.

I WANT to adopt. I am unable to have children, and want them desperately. I actually want to only adopt disabled children. However, it is very hard and very expensive to adopt. I’ve heard many numbers, but all of them are in many the thousands of dollars to pay the fees of an adoption. My uncle just paid $24,000 to adopt my cousin. I don’t know how normal that is… I just know all adoptions are expensive.

In America the birth mom has time to decide they want their child back (it varies from days to several weeks). I’m sure it would break your heart if one of the breeders or shelters you bought one of your animals from showed up on your doorstep with a court-order demanding their animal back. So that’s something that’s an obstical for some people.

Also, some places insist you foster first, so you automatically know you will have a child in your home, fall in love with him/her, then have them taken away from you, most likely to never hear about them again. Also heartbreaking.

Lots of people are trying to adopt out-of-country now because the rules are more lax and it’s cheeper. But it’s still many thousands of dollars, and not everyone can raise a large sum of money all at once to do so… even if they could afford the child otherwise.

JENNIE:
Thank you for the info. I never knew all that. Especially about the birth mother being able to come and take the baby back. That would be horrible! I’m very sorry that you are unable to have kids, and you sound like you would be a great mother. I know it’s a need in alot of people, and I understand where it comes from. I really do love kids, I just don’t have that urge. I really wasn’t trying to put down people that do. As I’ve already said like 5 times already, if people take care of their children correctly, and they teach them correctly, it’s great. Parents also have to be considerate of other people around them, that don’t neccasarily think that a screaming baby in a movie theatre is cute.

I think this belongs on this thread, as well as at the original post –

The Marmalade Kitteh is my Cute Guide; I shall not lack snorgle.
He makes me watch sproing in green pastures,
he shows me hippos in still waters.
Cute restores my soul.
Kitteh leads me in the blogs of Cute for Cute’s Sake.

Yea, though I wade through postings of trolls, I will fear no nasty, for Kitteh is with me;
Your eyes and your fluff, they comfort me.
Your acolytes Meg and Theo prepare pictures and links galore for me,
You anoint my head with cat hairs,
My eyes runneth over.

Surely Kitteh and Cuteness will follow me all the bits of my hard drive,
And I will dwell in the Land of the Cute forever.

::eyeroll::
Oh, for the luva Pete at the silly “abuse” comments. Babies and baby animals are made to be resilient for a reason. Not only that, but animals play-bite harder than that. PLUS they have needle-like teeth, or teeth, period.

I hate it when parents think their baby/child biting, hitting, pulling on animals is a special moment that needs to be captured. How about a smack on the hand and saying No! Instead. They’d be the same parents that got rid of the pet when it turned around and bit or scratched the kid in self-defense!

I don’t have kids. I teach. Being around young people has its trials, but it also has joys. I don’t have pets either, but I love animals. They too have trials and joys.

Poop, in both humans and animals is a trial. I can like looking at pictures of babies (human and animal) and not like cleaning up poop. I’ve chosen not to have babies or aniamls but I still smile at both, enjoy holding them, and taking care of them.
Teaching has given me some of the greatest joy I have ever known, but I like going home alone at the end of the day. I feel the same way when I leave a pet shop. However, not having babies or pets is simply a choice. It does not make me better than others, and I don’t have to run people down for making different choices. Both children and animals require large amounts of planning and free time that I would rather give to other projects- but again, that’s my choice. My projects are important to me, but they don’t have to be to other people.

When people try to ‘share’ their life choices by saying that babies are ugly, they are being mean and hypocritical. We were all babies once. When they say they would want to kill a child because a cat is worth more than a child, they should consider whether they have a right to remain on this earth themselves, instead of making room for other animal species. When a person who doesn’t work, regardless of the reason, calls people on welfare layabouts, that person should look in the mirror, since all ‘welfare’ means is taking money you haven’t earned yourself from someone else who’s earned it, regardles of whether it was given freely or not.

Taxes in this country do not go to welfare for the most part. Most tax money goes to the military. No one- not a single person- is giving half of his money to welfare. Especially rich people. Unless of course that person has a spouse who does nothing for anyone else all day except volunteer and take care of animals he or she doesn’t need to have. In this society, that is leisure- it doesn’t constitute work, because it generates no income, and it doesn’t help anyone generate an income (which is why housewifery is actually work). Charity ‘work’ and animal care, while kind, are not forms of work. This does not make them bad or wrong. In fact, they can be quite useful. But doing such activities without having to earn a living is hypocritical when calling parents and people on welfare jerks- because parents who care for children are actually working (having cats to play with, while fun, is self-indulgent, whereas having children is often self-indulgent but can also lead to potentially grat progress for society, since humans can do math and science, and cats can;t), and most people on welfare actually want to work (check Labor and Census statistics).

Almost everyone is on ‘welfare’ during his or her life. Most of us call this period ‘growing up’. Some of us grow into adulthood and learn to use computers to revel in saying hateful things- we call this kind of welfare ‘being a bloody idiot’. Anyone who can sit on the computer all day being nasty is neither working nor taking care of animals. Therefore that person is on welfare, and not the kind that deserves to be treated with dignity, either.
Sorry about the length of this post, but I checked in a few times and thought this was ridiculous.

Whoa. Michele, I agree that most of this thread is ridiculous. But you’re walking on thin ice when you say “animal care, while kind, is not a form of work.” I do foster care for cats – as volunteer work, on my own free time, since I also have a full-time career – and it is indeed work. I truly believe it is my calling in life, and I have my career to support my true love. That’s all. No rant. Gotta get back to my career. :o)